Jews moaning: Memphis Jewish Federation releases joint statement after assistant principal’s Facebook post

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By Action News 5 Staff

Published: Aug. 20, 2021 at 4:14 PM CDT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The Anti-Defamation League, Memphis Jewish Federation and Facing History and Ourselves issued a joint statement this afternoon addressing a Facebook post from an assistant principal that compared vaccination cards to yellow stars.

The now-deleted post from the assistant principal read: “What’s the difference between vaccination papers and a yellow star? 82 years.”

Representatives form Temple Israel said it was shocking to see something like this coming from an educator and administrator.

The joint statement from Memphis Jewish Federation says:

During these challenging times of historic antisemitism, it is crucial that educators and community leaders recognize the significance of the Holocaust as the largest recorded genocide in modern history. Earlier this week, an assistant principal at Houston High School in Germantown, TN, posted on Facebook: “What’s the difference between vaccine papers and a yellow star? 82 years.”

The message comparing these dark chapters of our history to COVID-19 health guidelines to vaccinations trivializes the Holocaust in a way that deeply offends and discounts the pain and suffering of the Jewish community, and cheapens the memory of the millions killed by Nazis. There is simply no comparison between the systematic murder of over 13 million people, including six million Jews, and the efforts to save lives and keep communities safe amidst a raging global pandemic.

We appreciate the Germantown Municipal School District investigating this incident, look forward to the results of the investigation, and encourage all educators to exercise understanding and compassion as we all seek to emerge from this difficult time period while focusing on a safe return to school. We welcome the opportunity to engage with Houston High School and GMSD to educate leadership and students on the history of the Holocaust, as well as why such language creates pain in others.