Friends' Central Rejects Ultimatum From Suspended Teachers' Attorney

Friends' Central School in Wynnewood has rejected a five-point ultimatum put forward by a lawyer representing two suspended teachers, according to the school.

In a letter to the community, Philip Scott, Clerk of the Board of Trustees at Friends' Central School, shared the ultimatum given by attorney Mark D. Schwartz representing Ariel Eure and Layla Helwa, who were both suspended with pay after controversy surrounded a Palestinian speaker who was booked to come to the school.

The ultimatum is as follows:

My clients be allowed to return to their jobs on campus.
My clients be extended an apology from the school.
My clients expenses incurred be paid by the school.
Professor (Sa’ed) Atshan be extended an apology from the school.
Professor Atshan be extended an invitation to speak at the school.

"I want to be clear, this is not a free speech issue," Scott said. "It is about the School taking the time and effort to formulate and present intellectual, respectful, and comprehensive programs for its students."

Scott provided a list of tenets the school has and will continue to follow in the face of this controversial situation:

• Our school will remain steadfast in its intellectual and ethical rigor and in the ideals at Friends' Central.
• Our school will arrive at decisions following a thorough and timely process.
• Our school will be a model of thoughtful resolution for our children and our community.
• Our school will use this as a 'teaching moment' demonstrating the power of Quaker thought and
• tradition to light a path for us and for fellow educators.
• Our school will not sacrifice process for the sake of arbitrary deadlines and "demands."
• Our school will not be used as a platform to advance the agendas of others.

Schwatz told Main Line Media News his clients were not given "process" as mentioned by the school in Scott's message.

“I and others thought that my settlement offer was imminently fair but basically they want to talk about their bullet points – they want to talk about their ‘steadfast and intellectual rigor.’ There’s none of that,” Schwartz told the outlet. “The school will arrive at a decision following a thorough and timely process — if they do things thoroughly then why did they suspend my clients? ‘Our school will be a model of thoughtful resolution for our children and our community.’ Not so, the students are furious. ‘Our school will use this as a teaching moment.’ Yes, this is a teaching moment — it shows how not to act Quakerly.”

English teacher Eure, 25, and history teacher Helwa, 26 were suspended last week after parents raised concerns over Swarthmore professor Atshan's planned lecture, but the school said the suspension is not related to booking Atshan.

Atshan,an assistant professor with Swarthmore's Peace & Conflict Studies department and holds several degrees from Harvard and Swarthmore, was to speak to the school's Peace and Equality in Palestine Club about the ongoing Israel-Palestine issues.

"The teachers being placed on paid leave is not connected to the decision to invite the speaker," Scott said. "The decision to place them on paid leave was because the two teachers failed to follow explicit directives, and their stated intentions going forward."

Scott said discussing Eure's and Helwa's employment further would be inappropriate, as the school is still reviewing the situation.

"The administration realized, belatedly, that any invitation that would raise such complex issues should have been made in the context of holistic and integrated programming," Scott said. "From the outset, the administration has taken responsibility for not doing that. Pausing will allow for many voices in the community to discuss ideas for more robust and comprehensive programming around the Middle East and around conflict resolution in general."

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