Tensions Mount at SPF BOE Meeting Over Staff Member

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January 30, 2025

SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD — The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education (BOE) faced a crowd of more than 100 people at its January 23 meeting to hear concerns related to the district’s reading specialist, Kathy O’Gara, a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights who has often shared her views both in public and on social media.

Ms. O’Gara recently claimed responsibility for encouraging protestors to interrupt a presentation given by Captain Yigal Dilmoni of the Israel Defense Forces at the Union County Torah Center-Chabad in Westfield several weeks ago.

The event, which the Center described as “a personal account of combat in Gaza and Lebanon,” was disrupted by multiple individuals who were eventually escorted from the presentation by Westfield Police and several members of a private security firm.

According to screenshots shared on multiple social-media pages, Ms. O’Gara posted to the “Westfield Voices” Facebook page (of which she is the sole administrator) that she “proudly sent the alert of the Israeli IOF terrorist coming to Westfield. Proudly organized the counter.”

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Superintendent Joan Mast, Ed.D., sent an email to the community following the protest, acknowledging that, “the situation touches upon sensitive and deeply personal beliefs, and as a district, we acknowledge the diverse perspectives and emotions within our schools and community… We also remain committed to upholding the principles of free expression for our students and staff.”

Board Attorney Douglas Silvestro informed the crowd that, “there is nothing on the agenda tonight to suspend, terminate or discipline Ms. O’Gara … Whether or not you are for or against those actions, the issue is not pending before the board.”

Ms. O’Gara attended the meeting with her attorney, Rajeh A. Saadeh, but neither spoke at the event. Mr. Silvestro told the crowd that Ms. O’Gara “has used her legal right to compel the district to have any discussion in open.”

Speakers both in support of and against Ms. O’Gara lined up to share their feelings with the board of education, and although district policy requires speakers to identify themselves with their full name and address, most provided only their first names and towns of residence during the visibly tense evening.

For some members of the community, the act of protest at a Chabad house and the presence of children at the speaker event “was not about dialogue or expressing a difference of opinion” said Jane, a Scotch Plains resident. Jane also expressed disappointment with the district’s response to the protests, stating that, “while I understand the need to respect diverse perspectives, there is a clear line between free expression and actions designed to intimidate and incite fear.”

Others, like Carrie, from Maplewood, said they interpreted Ms. O’Gara’s Facebook posts as something written by someone “concerned about a soldier who participated in genocide was in our area to speak and to justify that genocide.” As Carrie spoke, shouts of “wrong” and “It’s not genocide” were heard from the audience, prompting Board President Evan Murray to intervene and remind attendees of everyone’s right to speak uninterrupted. Carrie said that she feels “genocide is not a Jewish value, and speaking out against genocide and an apartheid of Palestinian people is not anti-Semitic.”

Beth Lewis from Scotch Plains, a parent of two elementary-age students in the district, said that, “Ms. O’Gara’s public statements have been inflammatory, laden with vitriol, and in the opinion of many, bordering on hate speech.”

At the December 19, 2023 Westfield BOE meeting, Ms. O’Gara spoke of what she said was a need for an expanded anti-discrimination curriculum. “No Place For Hate, it was about anti-Semitism, but again we had a student here last week who talked about being a Muslim in this district, and we’re still not addressing other cultures,” she said in 2023. No Place For Hate is a program started by the Anti Defamation League to provide training in schools to address bias and anti-Semitism.

Nearly a dozen police officers stood by and attempted to calm the crowd as speakers continued in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School auditorium.

Malek, of Elizabeth, who was in attendance at the Westfield school board meetings in 2023, said, “All she did is denounce genocide, and oftentimes when she talks about it, she states that she has no problem with Judaism. She has no problem with Jews. The issue is with people who support Zionism.”

As he spoke, a man near the back shouted “All the Zionists, stand up.” After interjections from the audience and the board’s call for silence, one man was escorted out by police as speakers continued.

The issue of weighing freedom of speech against what some view as hate speech continued when Jessica, a resident of Scotch Plains, said that while everyone is entitled to free speech and their opinions, “when a staff member is posting anti-Zionist posts on multiple Facebook pages — to me, that is hate speech.” Jessica said that while she does not want anyone to be fired for voicing their own opinion, she asked the board to take action to keep staff views and opinions off social media, where they may be visible to students and community members. Rabbi Avrohom Blesofsky asserted that Ms. O’Gara and other protesters are supporters of Hamas. “Do we want a teacher who supports Hamas, someone who espouses the values of Hamas?” Rabbi Blesofsky asked the board. “This individual rallied fellow Hamas supporters, not merely to demonstrate outside a local synagogue, but to go inside, disrupt the event and intimidate and bully those attending. That’s criminal,” he said.

Nancy, a Palestinian-American from Fanwood, said she was there to stand up for Ms. O’Gara, who she believes “has been villainized, facing relentless opposition. This is defamation, harassment and threats of her livelihood, and instead of upholding the principles of free speech, I believe that the board has chosen to retaliate.”

With the line of speakers dwindling after more than an hour of testimony, Diane of Garwood told the board, “I can tell you that Kathy O’Gara has a caring heart. I believe that everything I have seen in the past year is simply wanting peace and justice for the Palestinians that she has come in contact with in her day-to-day life. As Diane spoke about “the ugliness, the hurt and the pain that is being unraveled tonight,” most of the crowd who were not in support of Ms. O’Gara gathered themselves to leave.

Shouts of “We should go, don’t listen to them” and “Am Israel High” could be heard as the group exited the auditorium.

Following the remaining speakers, the board convened for a break and returned to its regular agenda for the duration of the meeting.