FRANKLIN – The township’s school district will gather students and staff together on Tuesday to recite the New Jersey Interfaith Coalition’s “Stand Up for the Other” pledge in a show of solidarity for love and diversity on Tuesday, the district has announced in a news release.
In the pledge, which will take place at 10 a.m. at all of the district’s nine public schools, students and staff will repeat the pledge promising to confront prejudicial statements, even if they’re made by their family or friends, the release stated.
Dr. Alex Kharazi, a Franklin resident and president of the Franklin Township Interfaith Council, said this will be the first time that a public school district formally joins together to recite the New Jersey Interfaith Coalition’s “Stand Up for the Other” Pledge.
“Franklin Township Public Schools prides itself on our diversity,” said Superintendent Dr. John A. Ravally. “We have students who report over 65 different languages as their home language. We were honored that the NJ Department of Education has recognized our Elementary ESL & Bilingual Program as well as our High School ESL program by awarding us “model program” status.”
Over 7,000 students attend the district’s schools. In a letter sent to parents and guardians, students have been given the chance to opt out of saying the pledge, the release stated.
“We don’t expect many families will opt out of the pledge,” said Dr. Ravally.
In quoting the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kharazi said, “‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ I think it is especially fitting that our Franklin students take this pledge on Valentine’s Day and during Black History Month.”
The Pledge to “Stand Up for the Other” was proposed by Dr. Ali Chaudry, Co-Founder of the New Jersey Interfaith Coalition in March of 2015 to confront bigotry.
“Especially in today’s political climate, it is important for our students to embrace tolerance, to be compassionate to their neighbors and know that standing up against prejudice is the right thing to do,” said Franklin Township Board of Education Presient Ed Potosnak.
“The “Stand Up for the Other” pledge reads as follows:
“While interacting with members of my own faith, or ethnic, or gender community, or with others, if I hear hateful comments from anyone about members of any other community, I pledge to stand up for the other and speak up to challenge bigotry in any form.”
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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