Decatur High School teacher’s attire sparks controversy

Parents in the City Schools of Decatur have reported a high school teacher for wearing “divisive” attire on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Decatur High School teacher Anthony Downer II was photographed wearing a keffiyeh, a black-and-white scarf traditionally worn by Arab men. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the keffiyeh has become a symbol of support for the Palestinian people, but it can be an extremely divisive and harmful symbol, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Several Jewish parents said they’ve contacted CSD Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker’s office this week regarding Downer’s attire.

Elissa Pichulik spoke about Downer during public comment at the Oct. 8 Decatur Board of Education meeting, “seeking reassurance” that her children will feel safe at school.

“Right now, I am very rattled and unsure,” said Pichulik, a Jewish mother of three children and granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor. “There is no room for any purposeful acts of divisiveness [from staff] on an especially sensitive day for Jewish students. We need all of our children to feel safe at school. The stunt that occurred yesterday is against our core values of inclusion and empathy.”

Other parents won’t speak up because they’re afraid of retribution.

“Context matters. On any regular day, his choice in clothing wouldn’t impact me the way it did when I heard what was worn on Oct. 7,” said a parent who spoke to Rough Draft on the condition of anonymity. “And not only that it was worn on the anniversary of the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, but also in the context of who was wearing it: an individual who was hired by the City Schools of Decatur to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Downer did not respond to Rough Draft’s request for comment. He describes himself as an “abolitionist educator-organizer, curriculum developer, educational consultant, policy strategist, public speaker, racial equity and justice practitioner” among other things .

Downer formerly served as the district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator until an investigation led to his demotion in December 2023.

Downer, who grew up in Gwinnett County, was suspended after he sent to staff a list of resources about Israel and Gaza. District leaders at the time called the email, which encouraged staff to use resources with anti-Israel bias, “insensitive and inappropriate.”

Leaders conducted interviews with Downer, his supervisor and other CSD employees, and ultimately, the investigation reported by Decaturish found that Downer violated district policies and procedures.

At protests around the world, people have worn the keffiyeh to express solidarity with U.S.-designated terror groups including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Iran.

More prevalent is the rise in popularity the keffiyeh has had in association with terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, who have continued to attack Israel since Oct. 7, said Eytan Davidson, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League Southeast.

“When somebody who is not Palestinian decides to make a political statement by wearing a keffiyeh, especially on Oct. 7, they stand in solidarity with heinous acts committed in 2023. For the Jewish community, seeing a keffiyeh in a public space – like a public school – is a provocation. It’s seen as an extremely divisive and harmful symbol,” he said.

Davidson has been in touch with CSD, who said, “This is a personnel matter and we are following protocols to address it.” No further information from CSD is available.

“I do believe the district is taking this seriously,” said Davidson.

Davidson added: “The way a Jewish person might react to seeing someone wearing a keffiyeh on Oct. 7 would be akin to someone wearing a t-shirt with a Confederate flag on the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is that provocative.”

Parents say DEI education includes Judaism at the elementary school level within CSD. Elementary school students learned about Jewish American Heritage Month and the PTA- and DEI-sponsored Culture Night featured Jewish food and educational materials. Both Beacon Hill Middle School and DHS have previously been designated by the Anti-Defamation League as a “No Place For Hate.” A DHS faculty member supports the Jewish Student Union, a small group that meets several times throughout the school year.

The anonymous parent said her child’s principal has been quick to reschedule an event that was planned on a Jewish holiday.

“Jews are a minority,” she said. “Over time we have been a marginalized group. Granted, we are not a racial minority, but we are an ethnic and cultural minority and therefore should be part of DEI activities.”

CSD cannot comment on personnel matters while conducting an investigation. Davidson said parents should continue to communicate through the appropriate channels with the district to share how this incident has impacted their families.

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