KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council will vote on a new antisemitism resolution Thursday that would define what exactly antisemitism is.
The resolution was first introduced in a committee Wednesday along with data from the Anti-Defamation League.
It passed unanimously with the Jewish Community Relations Bureau|American Jewish Committee Kansas City's Gavriela Geller expressing her gratitude to the community.
She advocates for change for students like Emma Sandler, senior at Blue Vally High School. Sandler says such change is a "long time waiting."
"You know, it’s difficult when young kids like me are experiencing antisemitism at its core, and I do wonder why nothing has happened," Sandler said.
Recent antisemetic and racist vandalization at her high school left her feeling sad but not surprised.
"I was very disappointed," Sandler said. "It’s heartbreaking knowing that there are people who enjoy spreading hate in the world."
Parent Daniel Singer has two children, ages 5 and 2, who will eventually be in the Blue Valley School District.
"It’s unbelievable that in this day and age my kids, who will go to Blue Valley schools, will have to think about whether they’re comfortable expressing their Judaism in public," Singer said.
Thinking back on his high school experience, Singer says he never saw something threatening happen as often as it does now.
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"I think there’s no question that it’s gotten worse," Singer said. "I don’t know if people are feeling more free to express things that they believe or if they’re actually becoming more extreme in their beliefs, but I think they go hand-in-hand."
Singer also notes this attitude is not limited to the Jewish population.
"I think that even for non-Jewish kids, seeing something like this should not be anything other than scary because it is an indication that there are people out there that have ill intent toward other people," Singer said.
As the KCMO City Council takes steps to pass the antisemitisim resolution, Sandler and Singer say city leaders and community members need to step up to create lasting, meaningful change.
"Where are the people in leadership saying, ‘Maybe we should reconsider the way we talk about other people? Maybe we should reconsider the way we treat minorities? Maybe we should speak up to people even in our own ideology group when they say things that aren’t appropriate about minority groups?'" Singer said.
The council will vote on the resolution at its 3 p.m. meeting Thursday.
