An elite, celebrity-favorite private school is in hot water after comedian Jerry Seinfeld criticized the school for saying it would allow “emotionally distressed” children to take the day off after the election.
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, which has three locations in New York City, became embroiled in a scandal earlier this week after the New York Times received an email from principal Stacey Bobo stating that students could excuse themselves from classes next Thursday.
The message outraged 70-year-old Jerry, who told the publication that his two sons had attended the school, but his youngest, Shepherd, now 19, had been transferred because of “decisions like this.”
And this isn’t the first time the institute has found itself in the middle of controversy, as it has faced sensational comments from teachers, accusations of bullying and major leadership changes in recent years.
Yet it has become a favorite among the wealthy, thanks to its ‘progressive’ teaching style and ‘inclusive’ structure.
An elite private school is in hot water after comedian Jerry Seinfeld criticized the school for saying it would allow “emotionally distressed” children to take the day off after the election
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School prides itself on its commitment to teaching children how to be “ethical and responsible members of society,” but that comes at a high price: approximately $65,000 per year in tuition.
It requires all of its students to enroll in ethics courses from an early age so that they can be prepared to “care for our world, for ourselves, and for each other.”
‘Our goal is to create a comprehensive experience for students to engage in activism, focused on raising awareness, advocating for social issues, being involved in service projects and supporting charities within the surrounding community and beyond,” the website said.
‘Our principles of progressive education focus on the whole child and ensure that education is responsive, relevant, experiential and playful, among other things.’
The institution — which educates children from preschool through 12th grade on two campuses in Manhattan and one in the Bronx and currently has about 1,700 students — first started in 1878 and has seen a slew of famous faces walk its halls.
Countless Hollywood legends, successful entrepreneurs, and powerful leaders have attended the school, including actresses Rita Gam and Louise Lasser, former Deputy Mayor of New York Patricia Harris, and Star Trek alumnus Walter Koenig.
In addition, alumni include actor Zach McGowan, New York State Senator Dan Squadron, Oscar-nominated film editor Andrew Weisblum and New York State Representative Keith LT Wright.
The school also encourages its students to “constantly explore their identities” and hosts monthly 45-minute meetings so the children can “talk about race, ethnicity and ethics.”
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School became embroiled in a scandal earlier this week after the New York Times received an email from principal Stacey Bobo (seen)
“We are proud to be one of the few schools in New York City starting these conversations at such an early age,” the school said.
‘Supporting children in their awareness of each other’s similarities and differences and connecting them positively to their own identity is essential to helping them grow into confident, compassionate and healthy young adults.’
It said students could excuse themselves from classes next Thursday, and the message infuriated Jerry (seen), 70
In addition, it has a ‘robust’ arts program and offers ‘training’ in acting, dance, directing, choreography, stagecraft, design, writing, drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, graphics and architecture, among others.
For those interested in music, there are classes on ‘electronic music, music theory and composition, as well as a variety of small and large ensembles.’
The school organizes annual fashion shows, where some children are instructed to make their own dresses, but are not allowed to use fabric.
Instead, they are forced to turn household objects into fashion pieces, and the event previously attracted attention Teen fashionwho said there was no empty seat available after attending one of the annual shows.
But the private school has certainly had its fair share of negative press as well.
In 2019, the school came under fire after guest speaker Kayum Ahmed, director of the philanthropic organization Open Society Foundations, compared what Jews endured during the Holocaust to violence against Palestinians in Israel during a meeting.
And this isn’t the first time the institute has found itself in the middle of controversy, as it has faced accusations of bullying and major leadership changes in recent years.
Yet it has become a favorite among the wealthy, thanks to its ‘progressive’ teaching style and ‘inclusive’ structure
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School prides itself on its commitment to teaching children how to be “ethical and responsible members of society.”
A spokesperson for the school told DailyMail.com afterwards: ‘We do not tolerate anti-Semitism and oppose all forms of hatred.’
Then, in January 2020, a teacher was fired for criticizing Israel in class and on his personal X account.
Earlier this year, the school became embroiled in a “power struggle between parents, students, teachers and alumni” over pro-Palestinian activism, the New York Times reported.
Parents accused the school of being a “hotbed of Jew-hatred,” with one mother, Dr. named Logan Levkoff, claimed her son experienced anti-Semitism when he went to school.
She said he was called an “ethnic cleanser” and “colonizer” during his college days.
Amid the tension, the school’s principal, Joe Algrant, resigned in August, with school officials saying at the time that he was leaving to “pursue other personal and professional goals.”