After Hate Crime Accusation, Pleasantville Looks for "Teachable Moment" [Updated]

Editor's Note: This article has been updated with information from Mount Pleasant Police Chief Louis Alagno.

Two unnamed Pleasantville youths, both 16, face felony harassment charges after they allegedly placed multiple anti-Semitic phone calls to a local family over an extended period of time.

According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, who said the arrests were made following a month-long investigation, "they targeted a Jewish family based on their religion."

Mount Pleasant Police Chief Louis Alagno stated, "The complainant came to us on September 8 and reported they had received numerous calls in which anti-Semitic comments were made."

While Alagno declined to specify how the suspects were identified, he said, "Detective Burns was able to commence an investigation in which he was able to identify the callers...through very good detective work."

Mary Fox-Alter, superintendent of the , issued a letter (see attached .pdf) to families addressing the accusations after the pair of teenaged boys turned themselves into the town court last week. Alagno said he believes they were then released on their own recognizance.

The court issued an order of protection "directing both defendants to have no contact with the victims," said the chief.

"There is no excuse for such contemptible behavior and we as a school community deplore it," wrote Fox-Alter. "Be assured this act is in no way reflective of the youth in Pleasantville."

The two suspects, who are juniors at  and unrelated to each other, are scheduled to appear in Mount Pleasant Court on November 3.

The court clerk stated it is unsure if the pair will be tried as adults—given the nature of the alleged hate crime—or as youths.

Pleasantville High School Principal Dawn Bartz said the school is taking the alleged incident as an opportunity to reach out to the families involved, as well as the greater student body.

"It is a teachable moment," she said. "In my view, they have to make this right. That's the only way it's going to be right for them, as well as for them to move on."

Bartz said she wants to promote a "message of tolerance and diversity" among all students, and noted in these situations there are "always bystanders" who should be taught to stand up for what's right, even if it means turning in their friends.

Though the family that was allegedly victimized has no known relationship to the suspects or school district, the principal also said she reached out to Rabbi Mark Sameth of .

"I did speak with her yesterday, and what I can tell you is that this is an anomaly," said Sameth. "I've been the rabbi here for 14 years and Pleasantville is a wonderful community. We don't have all the information yet, but whatever happened is an anomaly."

Sameth said the Pleasantville Clergy Association met this morning and "is putting together an event called 'Teach your Children Well,'" which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23.

"We're going to be talking about where in all of the traditions we locate the notion of tolerance and honoring each human being," he explained. "This is what binds us together."

Agreed school board President Lois Winkler, "There's just no tolerance with harassment."