Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District board of trustees on Wednesday discussed their response to a letter received by Superintendent Dick Glock from Jewish community members urging a more broad approach to combat intolerance. The Foothill Jewish Community, Congregation Bnai Israel, said it appreciates the board’s “generic efforts at recognizing ‘intolerance’” but urged a “more comprehensive program be adopted and broadly implemented for students, faculty, as well as administrative and support staff.” The congregation recognized that “at least one organization from outside the community has interjected its perceptions,” referring to Barry Broad of the Jewish Community Relations Council, who lambasted the Board at a meeting last November for allegedly failing to investigate hate crimes and the harassment of Justin Zysman, a Jewish student at Amador High School. Following a suggestion from Board president Karl Knobeluch, Glock raised the topic of his response and gave board members an opportunity to view and approve the draft. Glock’s response questioned the use of the word “generic” and said the district “has been very direct in addressing specific acts of intolerance.” He also summarized a number of current or upcoming programs introduced by Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti designed to address a host of issues, including violence prevention, tolerance, stereotyping, bullying, prejudices, sexual harassment and empowering leaders. Chapin-Pinotti spoke enthusiastically of seminars that have taken place so far with teachers and administrators. Lynnette Lipp, a member of the Bnai Israel congregation, clarified that the word generic was not meant to be derogatory and only described “the general efforts” of the school district. She said Barry Broad spoke before the board “without our knowledge” and her congregation supports the programs presented by Chapin-Pinotti. Knobeluch said he would be welcome to having Broad back to speak further, but next time would “like a more civil level of discourse.” The congregation’s letter said it “believes that local direction is essential considering our rural and close knit environment.” Board member Terry Porray said she felt insulted when she first read the letter from the congregation but thanked Lipp for her clarification. Porray said now is “a great opportunity to show the outside world that we’re not…a pocket of racism.” The board voted unanimously to have Knobeluch sign his approval to the letter on their behalf. The letter will be sent back to the Foothill Jewish Community. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.