Board president steps down following graduation speech
ELKINS PARK >> A speech made at Cheltenham High School’s commencement ceremony earlier this month prompted Joel Fishbein to step down as president of the Cheltenham School Board.
“Giving up leadership of the school board is not an easy decision, but it is an important first step to help our community heal from the hurt I caused at the June 3 high school commencement ceremony,” Fishbein said in a letter addressed to the Cheltenham community that was posted to the school district’s Facebook page on June 16.
He tendered his resignation from the school board’s top leadership post on June 14, more than a week after the graduation ceremony, according to a June 16 letter from members of the school board.
Fishbein said in his letter to the community that he plans to “serve the remainder of my term as an active member of the board.” This term is set to end in 2024, according to a school district spokesperson.
Fishbein’s speech was given as more than 350 graduating seniors participating in the ceremony wore caps and gowns as they sat on the Cheltenham High School stadium field. They listened to a number of speeches from fellow students, Principal Renato Lajara, Cheltenham School District Superintendent Wagner Marseille, and school board members, including Fishbein.
Fishbein began his remarks by praising the Class of 2021 on their perseverance and accomplishments as they reached this important milestone during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As the graduating seniors embark on their next chapter, Fishbein encouraged them to “do what you love. Do what you are good at. Do what makes you happy. You will have the greatest chance of success.”
His speech contained an anecdote about Frederick Douglass from historian and Boston College Professor Heather Cox Richardson. Fishbein quoted parts of a May 23 post from Richardson’s blog, Letters from an American.
“His sense of relative normalcy included having good friends in the area and falling in love with a woman who would become his life,” Fishbein said. “It was enslavement but within that existence it was a pretty good position.”
He went on to speak of Douglass’ journey, adding that his “scheme for escaping (sic) … to freedom from slavery was ridiculously easy.”
“Douglass took an enormous risk with the greatest of consequences and he most definitely changed the world,” Fishbein said as he concluded his remarks. “We are in a time of great change and those of you who learned resilience the hard way and have the courage to follow your passions and take risks may very well change the world. We all look forward to watching as you do it. Good luck to all of you.”
Fishbein noted in the letter that several people including students, teachers, administrators, and his colleagues “shared their feelings about my words and their impact upon them.”
“From them, I have learned that I had an enormous blind spot in my understanding of the trauma our country’s history of slavery and continuing racism has inflicted,” Fishbein said.
“I apologize most of all to the students,” Fishbein said. “I am deeply sorry that my poor choice of subject matter and words inflicted further pain particularly on what should have been their joyous occasion. I am also deeply sorry for causing division and hurt in this community that I love.”
Two versions of the June 3 Cheltenham High School graduation were uploaded on June 10 to the Cheltenham Video Youtube page.
The “edited” version has been viewed 1,149 times as of June 22. Prior to the start of the more than twohour-long video features a disclaimer message informing the viewer of the change:
“Please be advised, a section of this video (46:0050:26) has been removed because it contains material which reflects a whitewashed account of the systemic violent subjugation of generations, and denigrates and trivializes the horrors, trials and tribulations of the enslaved as well as those who were able to escape enslavement.”
The “unedited” version, which contains Fishbein’s speech in its entirety, had 449 views as of June 22.
“I did not share my speech with anyone in advance and I should have,” Fishbein said in the letter. “This mistake revealed a hole in our board process.”
During a June 15 leadership election, Pamela Henry was appointed as school board president and Daniel Schultz selected as vice president, according to a June 16 letter from members of the Montgomery County school board.
When asked about her reaction to Fishbein’s speech, Henry told Media News Group Monday in an email interview in the weeks following the commencement ceremony that “I did not feel the topic was appropriate for the celebratory nature of the event.”
School board members outlined several “next steps” in the June 16 letter addressed to the community:
• All commencement speeches will be reviewed by the board and the graduation committee.
• The board will continue its cultural proficiency training led by Dr. Barbara Moore Williams.
• The board will work with student representatives to identify opportunities to connect with students through town halls and other events.
• The board will continue updating and adopting district policies to ensure they are aligned with our commitment to equity.
In his letter, Fishbein stressed the importance of cultural proficiency.