Yard sign condemning antisemitism on college campuses sparks free speech debate

Jeff and Rachel Lobman did not expect to person backlash erstwhile they enactment up a motion speechmaking "Jewish students merit to beryllium harmless connected campus" successful the gait of their location successful a suburb of Philadelphia. When their lad was location from assemblage for wintertime break, the Lobmans posted the motion to symbolize their solidarity with Jewish assemblage students who experienced antisemitism successful the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. 

The motion held a treble meaning for the family. In summation to its message against antisemitism, the colour pinkish resonated with the Lobmans, arsenic they are passionate advocates for bosom crab research.

Lower Merion School District (LMSD) Board subordinate Anna Shurak, who happens to beryllium the Lobmans’ next-door neighbor, took contented with the sign. According to the Lobmans, earlier Shurak reached retired asking them to region the sign, she blocked it with a wheelbarrow and dirt. In response, the Lobmans elevated the sign, but Shurak past utilized a Philadelphia Eagles emblem to artifact it a 2nd time.

Lower Merion School District Board subordinate Anna Shurak allegedly utilized a wheelbarrow and a container of ungraded to artifact a motion successful her neighbor's yard. (Courtesy: Jeff and Rachel Lobman)

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The Lobmans decided to scope retired to section officials, arsenic Shurak serves successful an elected position, and they believed her blocking the motion was an enactment of censorship that violated their First Amendment rights. Jeff Lobman besides expressed these frustrations to Fox News Digital, saying helium was stunned that an elected authoritative felt that she could censor free speech.

Shurak, who is besides Jewish, yet enactment up her ain sign, 1 that work "We judge achromatic lives matter, nary quality is illegal, emotion is love, women’s rights are quality rights, subject is real, and h2o is life." However, Shurak claimed successful a since-deleted Facebook station that she had the motion for 8 years. The Lobmans were capable to quality her assertion with images from her gait connected Google Maps, 1 of which is from arsenic precocious arsenic July 2024, successful which determination is intelligibly nary sign.

Lower Merion School Board subordinate Anna Shurak allegedly blocks a motion supporting Jewish assemblage students for a 2nd time. (Courtesy: Jeff and Rachel Lobman)

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The Lobmans reached retired to section officials astir the ongoing situation, 1 of whom was Lower Merion County Board of Commissioners subordinate Gilda Kramer. Jeff Lobman aboriginal described the speech with Kramer arsenic "invasive and disturbing," saying that the commissioner asked them to modify the motion portion speaking successful her authoritative capacity. 

In February, the Lobmans presented their lawsuit during a gathering of the Board of Commissioners. In his presentation, Jeff Lobman told the committee that "the nett effect of Anna’s actions was to diminish our escaped code and convey that her connection is worthwhile and ours is not, a akin taxable to thing we learned she advocated publically astir successful her elected role."

However, the motion attracted attraction from different neighbors, who began telling the Lobmans astir what was happening successful the section schoolhouse district.

When they enactment up the sign, the Lobmans, who person a kid successful backstage school, did not recognize that determination was an ongoing conflict successful the section schoolhouse territory astir the handling of antisemitism.

"A fewer weeks ago, determination was a assemblage gathering astir Jewish children not feeling harmless astatine Lower Merion schools that highlighted disturbing incidents of verbal and carnal assaults," Jeff Lobman told the board. "We made the transportation to our motion and realized however incorrect it was for Anna to censor a existent section contented successful a governmental campaign."

Side-by-side examination of the Lobmans' motion supporting Jewish assemblage students and Anna Shurak's "we believe" sign. (Courtesy: Jeff and Rachel Lobman)

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Jeff and Rachel Lobman were not unsocial successful their concerns astir escaped speech. Steve Rosenberg, Jewish Community advisor serving arsenic Philadelphia Regional Director for The North American Values Institute, agreed.

"The thought that an elected schoolhouse committee subordinate would spell to specified lengths to obstruct a motion that simply states ‘Jewish students merit to beryllium harmless connected campus’ is beyond troubling—it’s appalling. This incidental is not conscionable astir a sign; it’s astir a increasing and unsafe inclination of silencing Jewish voices nether the guise of ‘keeping the peace.’ We cannot let this benignant of blatant intimidation to stand, particularly successful a territory wherever parents are already profoundly acrophobic astir antisemitism," Steve Rosenberg told Fox News Digital.

Shurak did not instantly respond to Fox News' petition for comment.