Leawood took formal steps to combat antisemitism this week, following at least two incidents at Johnson County schools involving racist and antisemitic language.
The Leawood City Council on Monday adopted a resolution aimed at defining antisemitism and developing educational tools that address it.
While the measure does not legally compel people to obey any new law, city leaders noted Leawood is the first in Johnson County to pass such a measure in support of the Jewish community.
Officials say the resolution, which came in partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Bureau, will help the city spot instances of antisemitism more concretely.
The resolution aims to define antisemitism
- The measure reinforces the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, which includes 11 “contemporary examples” of antisemitism as it appears in public life, such as “justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology.”
- Councilmember Andrew Osman, who introduced the measure, said the resolution serves as a marker for behavior to watch for — rather than mandating any legal enforcement to prosecute antisemitic behavior.
- However, the resolution authorizes the city to incorporate the alliance’s resources into future training of city employees.
Incidents occurred at Blue Valley and Bishop Miege
- Leawood’s adoption of the resolution follows at least two antisemitic incidents — most recently including vandalism with swastikas and racial slurs at Blue Valley High’s football stadium.
- Four teenagers face charges in connection to that case.
- In addition, a Bishop Miege student was permanently removed from that school in Roeland Park last month after posting a racist threat on social media.
Leawood is the first JoCo city to adopt this measure
- The City Council of Kansas City, Missouri, recently adopted a similar resolution to address antisemitism in its own community.
- Because Leawood has an extensive Jewish history, Osman said the resolution aims to further emphasize inclusivity with Leawood’s Jewish community.
- “Leawood has a very active and vibrant Jewish community,” he said. “This is not just an antisemitism thing. This is going further, to say Leawood and the Jewish people stand together.”
A similar resolution passed on the state level in 2022
- The Kansas House and Senate unanimously passed a statewide antisemitism measure last year.
- State Rep. Dan Osman of House District 48 — who is also Councilmember Osman’s brother — co-sponsored the measure in the Kansas House.
- State Rep. Osman said he is happy to see the resolution making its way to the city level.
- “Just in the last month, we’ve had graffiti on schools, we’ve had graffiti on synagogues,” he said. “If you do not educate people, if you do not push back against it, it only grows worse.”
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