Embattled Barrington (RI) School and DEI committee member Amanda Basse came under pressure to resign at the most recent school committee meeting, where members of the public weighed in on her social media posts attacking Israel.
As we reported on January 7th, Basse set off a firestorm of online criticism after an Instagram account that appeared to be hers shared posts crudely bashing Israel, implying Jews “weaponized their religion” for genocide.
The controversy over Basse’s posts included calls for action to the School Committee to defend the town’s Jewish students.
Those calls come to life in a newly released video recording of the School Committee’s January 4th meeting, where Basse faced her critics in person. The video covers an approximately 45-minute public comment period during which people voiced their views—views that ranged from support for her courage to outrage over her blatant hostility toward Israel in the wake of the Hamas massacre.
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“There’s been a real mis-step here,” said Barrington parent Jonathan Orent. [9:35][*] “It is not helpful to have members of the school committee posting things … that go counter to the diversity, equity, inclusion policy”:
This is an inflection point for the school committee and you all have a choice on whether or not you want to divide this community. … The school committee needs to bring in people who understand the issues … so that all children in this community feel like they are welcome and included and not isolated by statements from members of the school committee.[12:12]
He later confronted Basse directly:
You are a member of the school committee. You are member of the DEI task force. There should be a sensitivity; there should be a recognition of that. … The number one and only goal is the kids in this community and bringing this community together. [26:41]
Lisa Davis, a former parent and member of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, said Basse’s posts “perpetuate antisemitic tropes and create a toxic situation that jeopardizes Jews.” Another said they make Jewish students feel “unsafe.” [30:30]
Not everyone attacked Basse, however. It appears that word went out in the Rhode Island anti-Zionist community for people, most of whom were not from Barrington, to show up in person or to call in for public comment to support Basse. This raises a question as to how active Basse has been in anti-Israel activism in the state.
Basse had many supporters, several of whom made anti-Zionism-is-not-antisemitism arguments in her defense. One speaker from the Jewish Voice for Peace said “standing up for the humanity, the dignity, the liberty and the rights of any person, including Palestinians” was not antisemitic. [21:17] A self-professed “anti-Zionist Jew,” praised Basse for “helping to lift the voices of Palestinians.” [24:19] Still another speaker cautioned against using “antisemitism as a tool to silence other people.” [48:01]
But longtime Barrington resident Jack Siegel believes those who came to support Basse would be ashamed if they knew what she had posted from her Instagram account, which is now private. [37:23] Siegel says he knows Basse because he serves on the district’s Special Education Advisory Committee, to which Basse is a liason. He was disgusted by her posts.
For the sake of the town’s reputation, Siegel called on Basse to resign: “I think that it brings shame upon the district,” he said. “The school board should not be associated with this person. … I think the best thing for Ms. Basse to do would be to go away.” [40:47]
Basse has not responded to an email seeking comment.
The Barrington Times reached out to Basse for her comments following the meeting. She wrote: “I appreciated hearing from a wide range of people with diverse views and perspectives. I look forward to continuing to work with the members of the DEI committee and SEAC in the support of all students.”
We will continue to follow this story.
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