BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — A Muslim advocacy group is taking aim at Rep. Josh Gottheimer after accusing his office of pressuring a Bergen County school district to remove a pro-Gaza sign from a teacher’s classroom.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations claims Gottheimer’s office contacted Bergen County Technical Schools Superintendent Howard Lerner after a parent complained about a sign reading “Gaza Must Live” during back-to-school night.
The 8½-by-11-inch sign was removed from the classroom of Daniel Gosselink, who teaches Advanced Placement human geography and global studies honors, according to CAIR-NJ.
The group says other political and social justice messages remained on display in the building, including signs supporting immigrants and Ukraine and a Black Lives Matter flag.
CAIR-NJ accused the district of applying different standards to different viewpoints and claimed administrators imposed a new requirement for Gosselink to obtain advance approval for future signs about Palestine.
“That this one sign was targeted while other social justice and global affairs signs remain up is a profound failure by the district’s leadership to apply public messaging criteria evenly,” the organization said.
Lerner confirmed he was aware of the situation but declined to comment, citing its “complexity and sensitivity” and potential legal implications. The district’s attorney was reviewing the matter, according to the report. Gottheimer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The dispute adds another chapter to the long-running clash between Gottheimer, a vocal supporter of Israel, and CAIR-NJ over the Israel-Hamas war and how the conflict is discussed in New Jersey schools.
In November 2023, Gottheimer criticized a pro-Palestinian student walkout at Teaneck High School, calling it “antisemitic” and “anti-Israel.” He also criticized a proposal by Teaneck’s then-schools superintendent to work with the Anti-Defamation League and CAIR-NJ on educational programming about global issues.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been linked by federal prosecutors and state actions to networks historically tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, though CAIR describes itself as a non-profit civil rights and advocacy organization and rejects these accusations as politically motivated smears.
In November 2023, its national executive director and co-founder, Nihad Awad said he was “happy” to see people "breaking the siege" on Oct. 7 (during the Hamas-led attack) and argued that Israel had no right to self-defense. Later, Awad said his remarks were taken out of context and that he condemned attacks on civilians. (Fox News report)
The group is calling on the school district to reinstate the sign and ensure that classroom displays are governed by consistent standards.
