A Montgomery County, Maryland, middle school teacher has been placed on leave for social media posts that administrators described as “antisemitic.”
In a letter home to parents Thursday, Takoma Park Principal Erin Martin said she was made aware of “a series of antisemitic online posts” by the teacher — Angela Wolf.
“I was extremely saddened and disappointed by the contents of these posts and strongly condemn the views expressed, as they do not align with our school’s values of inclusivity, respect, and acceptance,” Martin wrote.
WTOP has not seen the posts but did contact Wolf for comment. Wolf declined the request.
“We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our students, regardless of their background or beliefs,” Martin said.
According to the Takoma Park Elementary School website, Wolf is a leader in the school’s English Language Development (ELD) Department. The position primarily works with multilingual students in the school community.
The incident marks the second time that a Montgomery County public school teacher has been placed on leave for reportedly posting antisemitic comments on social media. Last month, Sabrina Khan-Williams, a teacher at Tilden Middle School, was placed on administrative leave after being accused of Facebook posts that were “antisemitic in nature.”
Both teachers’ comments and school investigations align with an increase in antisemitic incidents related to the Oct. 7 attack that sparked Israel’s war on Hamas inside Gaza.
“The nature of the alleged messaging is hurtful and antisemitic in nature. As a school community, we must condemn statements demeaning individuals or groups,” MCPS spokesperson Christopher Cram told WTOP.
The school system’s social media guidelines for teachers discourage staff from engaging in conduct that could be “prejudicial to your effectiveness as an MCPS employee.”
“Employees should also exercise caution and good judgment when using personal social media. The line between professional and personal is often blurred in the digital world,” the policy said of personal social media use. “If you identify yourself as an MCPS employee on your personal accounts, you should ensure that your profile and related content are consistent with how you wish to present yourself to colleagues, parents, and students.”
