Residents Call For Jersey City Teacher's Resignation

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Residents rallied in front of the Jersey City Board of Education building on Monday to show support for students who were the targets of a vulgar and racist rant from a Dickinson High School teacher. People at the rally called for the teacher to resign.

Howard Zlotkin is a science teacher at Dickinson High School who went on a vulgar and racist rant during a Zoom class and singled out Black students.

During Zlotkin's rant he is heard saying "If you think I'm privileged then f--- you, because my daughter thinks I'm privileged and I don't speak to her." Soon after, Zlotkin gave students the middle finger.

Zlotkin, who has been a teacher at Dickinson for 20 years, has been suspended from teaching with pay and Jersey City Public Schools Superintendent Franklin Walker said the district is investigating the incident. In the meantime, Zlotkin has not made any statements and is not allowed on or near school property. His daughter issued an apology letter to his students.

While participants at the rally acknowledged, as Superintendent Walker mentioned to parents, that Zlotkin is allotted due process by law and cannot be immediately removed, they argued he should resign.

"He can be apologetic by simply resigning," said Frank "Education" Gilmore, candidate for City Council, "What we witnessed on that Zoom will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form."

Local activist Pam Johnson joined the rally to call for Zlotkin's termination, but added "If he had one ounce of morals he would resign."

She said the incident must be taken seriously and as a message that the community won't tolerate that behavior.

"There are too many people who think like he thinks and if they are in our school system, we want them gone," she said, "It wasn't a safe space and school should be a safe space and place."