Wayne Schools Political Avatar Issue to be Resolved

WAYNE, NJ – During the November 2, 2023 Wayne Board of Education meeting, less than a month after the October 7 attacks in Israel, resident Kim Woodhour spoke up, asking for the board to consider changing their policy on the avatars used as a student’s profile picture on their school webpages. She said that allowing students to use politically-charged icons as their profile pictures, needs to change. The board agreed and said that something would be done. She just didn't realize it would take so long. Seven months later, Ms. Woodhour finally received an answer to her requests, when  Superintendent of Wayne Schools shared the news that the policy regarding these profile pictures have finally changed during the July meeting.

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It was a student, using an image of a fist with the words “Free Palestine – Free Gaza,” that had Woodhour, “representing 250 members of the Jewish Parents of Wayne,” requesting a change.

In November, Woodhour was asking the Superintendent “to simply change by blocking political images in the school’s profile pictures,” suggesting that the schools provide either generic choices of non-political avatars that students could use as their profile pictures or just “remove the pictures altogether,” helping to avoid incensing anyone on one side or the other of any controversial issues.

“This is one small change that would harm no one and would show everyone that the Board of Education is taking the first of, hopefully many, proactive steps in protecting our children,” she said.

In that meeting, Superintendent of Wayne Schools Dr. Mark Toback said that the issue was known and would be addressed, mentioning "generic images," and saying it would be "one month" to get this implemented.

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The very next meeting, just a few weeks later, hundreds of Wayne’s Muslim community came out in protest, thinking that the schools were going to “limit their free speech” with the changes planned to the avatars.

The policy affecting the avatars that would’ve been up for an introduction was pulled from the agenda and has not yet seen another agenda.

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Woodhour asked at least twice in a few school board meetings following this, but her queries on the subject were roundly ignored.

Then, more than seven months after the initial request, during this past (July 11) school board meeting, Woodhour brought the subject back up during a heated public discussion, where a large group of Jewish parents had come to talk to the Board about Palestinian flags displayed at the Wayne Hills High School graduation ceremony, among other topics. And school board Trustee Wendy Limandri, believing Toback had already mentioned it, made the information public in comments she made at the end of the meeting.

RELATED STORY: Jewish Parents Ask Wayne School Board ‘Where are the Consequences?’ Regarding Palestinian Flag Displays at Hills’ Graduation Ceremony

BOE President Pavlak confirmed this, saying, “The avatar issue has been addressed," adding that he could not comment on it, because the policy change was still under review. But Dr. Toback assured Woodhour what change would be coming.

"The avatar situation was something we committed to resolving during the summer for specific reasons,” he explained. “And so, students will have the big, red Wayne 'W,' is what students will have. So, there will be no options to pick an avatar.”

TAPinto reached out to Woodhour for her response to this coming change.

“Although this is just a small step in an area where a significant amount of change is required, I am glad that the Board of Education has finally taken the correct course of action in protecting our children and keeping schools safer,” she said. “Unfortunately, we asked the board to be proactive months ago. This change did not occur until many more incidents of antisemitic behavior were reported in the Wayne school system, and the community. Going forward, the current BOE must be more proactive in their efforts and not wait for issues to arise before taking action.”

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