Montco school board member resigns after Facebook post on Israel-Hamas War

A recently re-elected member of a Pennsylvania school board resigned from her position after making a post on the Israel-Hamas War on Wednesday that sparked outrage.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Dr. Jamina Clay, who was a Colonial School Board member as well as an assistant superintendent for the Philadelphia School District, described the Israel Defense Force as a “terrorist organization.”

The post sparked outrage from several community members and local Jewish groups.

“The main thing that sticks out as harmful, not just hurtful but harmful, was calling the Israel Defense Force a terrorist organization,” Rabbi Glenn Ettman of Congregation Or Ami told NBC10. “Words do matter. Words have influence and certainly words that come from people who are elected officials hold even more weight because of the position in which they hold.”

Clay later resigned from the Colonial School District and posted an apology for her comments on her Facebook page.

Colonial School District Superintendent Michael L. Christian also sent a letter addressing Clay’s Facebook post and resignation.

“We want to inform the Colonial School District community that one of our School Board members, Dr. Jamina Clay, has resigned after making a controversial social media post about the conflict in the Middle East. Dr. Clay submitted her resignation letter this morning stating that she was doing so because she does not wish to distract from the work of the School Board or the District. Dr. Clay’s post was offensive to many and, as a School Board member, this is unacceptable in a district that prides itself on cultivating a sense of belonging. We are committed to a culture of equity, inclusivity, and belonging and strive to provide a safe and caring environment for all our students and staff," Christian wrote on Thursday.

“All Colonial schools work hard to maintain their designations as No Place for Hate schools in our partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and we will continue these efforts because of the value they bring to our community. We condemn all forms of hatred and violence and offer our counseling services again to anyone who is struggling.”

NBC10 reached out to the Philadelphia School District for comment. A spokesperson sent the following statement.

"The Board of Education Policy 820 states that 'employees are protected by the First Amendment when speaking on a matter of public concern that is not part of their job duties,'" the spokesperson wrote. "The views and opinions expressed in Dr. Clay's facebook post do not reflect the position, opinion or views of the School District of Philadelphia."

Colonial School Board members held a meeting Thursday night addressing Clay’s comments at the Colonial Elementary School in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. While Clay was not there, several residents attended the meeting and spoke, including Rasheda Randall of Plymouth Township.

"I'm not hearing people concerned about collective punishment where every ten minutes a Palestinian child is being bombed and blown to bits," Randall said during the meeting.

Randall told NBC10 she didn't have any issues with Clay's post.

"I think unfortunately, someone is being scapegoated because of a lot of emotions about what's happening," Randall said.

Marlyn Stern, another Plymouth Township resident, told NBC10 she was upset about what she referred to as inaccurate information.

"If you don't have all the facts, you shouldn't be posting things on social media that reach an enormous population," she said.

Clay’s resignation occurred only days after she was re-elected as a Colonial School Board member.