New York City public schools should never silence a Holocaust survivor, especially not because of their Jewish identity or support for Israel.

But that is exactly what happened at MS 447 in Brooklyn, where Principal Arin Rusch denied 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann the opportunity to speak to students about antisemitism. Her reason was that his pro-Israel views were “not right” for a public school setting.

This is unacceptable.

Steigmann is a respected speaker who has addressed thousands of students across the country. He survived medical experimentation in a Nazi labor camp as a child and has since dedicated his life to educating others about antisemitism, tolerance, and resilience. He has clearly stated that he does not speak about Middle East politics in school settings and would have respected any guidelines the school provided.

He was never given the chance. Not even a phone call.

Principal Rusch’s decision sends the wrong message, not only to the Jewish community, but to every student who deserves to hear firsthand history from those who lived it. Silencing a Holocaust survivor because of perceived political views is not neutrality. It is viewpoint discrimination, and it risks reducing Holocaust education to something conditional and sanitized.

At a time when antisemitic incidents are rising in schools and across the country, we should be creating more space for Holocaust education, not less.

We call on Principal Arin Rusch to:

• Reverse the decision and invite Sami Steigmann to speak at MS 447
• Offer a public explanation for the initial rejection and clarify how speaker vetting decisions will be handled moving forward
• Affirm that Jewish voices are welcome in school programming, regardless of their personal identity or views

There are fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors alive today to share their stories. Denying students this opportunity is not only a missed moment, it is a disservice to education.

Sign this petition to ask Principal Rusch to do the right thing.

Let him speak. Let history be heard.

Photo Credit: Teen Vogue