Volume LXXVII, Number 13
Forest at Princeton’s Northern Gateway Preserved for Posterity . . 5 Students Learn SocialEmotional Skills By Acting Out Problem Solving . . 8 Lease for Hinkson’s Is Among Resolutions Passed by Council . . . . 9 Closing Women’s History Month with Helen DeWitt’s The Last Samurai . . . . . . . . . . 13 Boheme Opera NJ Presents Puccini Classic . . . . . . .14 Mackesy Explodes for 8 Goals to Help PU Men’s Lax Rout Yale 23-10 . . 26 PHS Boys’ Swim Star Baytin, Tiger Girls’ Wrestler Rose Earn the Nod as Top Winter Performers . . 28-29
Ryan Langborg Stars as PU Men’s Hoops Falls in NCAA Sweet 16 . . . . 24 Art . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 20 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 21 Camp and Enrollment. . 2-3 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 33 Enrich and Thrive . . 18-19 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 11 New To Us . . . . . . . . . 22 Obituaries . . . . . . . 31-32 Performing Arts . . . 15-16 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . 7 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 33 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Protestors Demonstrate For Democracy, Freedom At PU Jewish Center As unrest in Israel reached a peak on Monday before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a pause in his efforts to gain control over the country’s judiciary, a crowd of 60 demonstrators outside the Princeton University Center for Jewish Life (CJL) voiced their opposition to the Israeli prime minister and to a visiting professor from Israel who was speaking at the CJL. “Democracy” and “Shame,” the protestors chanted in English and in Hebrew, as they sang, waved Israeli flags, and carried placards stating “Save Israel’s Democracy,” “Democracy for Israelis and Palestinians,” “Save the Supreme Court,” and “Bibi — You are messing with the wrong women.” Demonstrators, led by Princeton History Professor Yair Mintzker, claimed that Ronen Shoval, a Princeton University lecturer in politics and associate research scholar in the James Madison Program, espouses right-wing views akin to fascism. Shoval spoke Monday evening, March 27, as the demonstration was winding down, to a CJL gathering of about 50 on the subject of the reform of the Israeli judiciary. He is the dean of the Tikvah Fund, which, Mintzker states, is a major supporter of an organization called the Kohelet Policy Forum, which, Mintzker claims, is “one of the main instigators of the ongoing judicial coup in Israel.” Shoval is teaching a freshman seminar at Princeton this term on Virtues and the Meaning of Life in Different Cultures. Describing himself as “a strong proponent of free speech,” Mintzker did not urge interference with Shoval’s presentation, but he expressed dismay at Princeton University and the CJL’s support for the event and for Shoval. Mintzker described the demonstration as “a marvelous success for the Princeton community so that they know who the man is and what he stands for.” A March 21 letter from the executive board of Academia for Equity noted Shoval’s “support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to demolish the Israeli legal system” and expressed “grave concern over the use being made by Dr. Ronen Shoval of his affiliation with Princeton University as a visiting fellow of the James Madison Program this year.” Continued on Page 7
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Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Conflict Over PHS Principal Builds As the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) prepared to approve the recommendation of Kathie Foster as Princeton High School interim principal, replacing Frank Chmiel, at Tuesday night’s BOE meeting, held after press time, a growing opposition movement had other ideas. The meeting, held in person at the Princeton Middle School and also livestreamed on YouTube and recorded and posted on the district website, was expected to draw hundreds of students, parents, and other community members, most in support of the dismissed Chmiel and in opposition to PPS Superintendent Carol Kelley and the BOE. There were two hours available for public comment, one early in the meeting and one at the end. In a statement issued on Monday, March 27, Chmiel’s lawyers asserted that the BOE can choose to reinstate Chmiel as PHS principal over any opposition from the superintendent, provided they follow certain procedural requirements. “We intend to fight for the renewal of Mr. Chmiel as principal of Princeton High
School and pursue every avenue available to do so,” the lawyers, David P. Schroth and Ben Montenegro, stated. And the numerous supporters of Chmiel apparently plan to stay on board for the battle. As of noon on Tuesday a studentinitiated petition calling for Chmiel’s reinstatement had gathered more than 3,000 signatures, and a parent-initiated petition demanding Kelley’s resignation and Chmiel’s return had more than 2,000 signers.
A group of PPS parents has created and distributed about 90 lawn signs reading “We want Chmiel,” “Princeton Parents don’t support Board of Ed,” and “The parents of Princeton Public Schools have no confidence in Carol Kelley.” Parents have also reportedly written directly to the BOE asking that Foster not be voted in at last night’s meeting and that Chmiel be taken off administrative leave and brought back, at least until the end of the year. Continued on Page 10
Meetings Related to Open Space Focus on Two Separate Issues
Two upcoming public meetings at Witherspoon Hall have some residents confused about their purposes. On Thursday, March 30 from 4 to 7 p.m., a community engagement open house will focus on future plans for Community Park South. On Monday, April 3 at 7 p.m., a scoping hearing is being held to gather public comment on a “diversion request,” which — contrary to what some believe — will create additional open space at a location in Princeton, rather than taking any away.
It seems that in 2002, the municipal building on Witherspoon Street was mistakenly constructed on land designated for open space. The diversion is an effort to correct the error. Confusion about the purposes of the meetings likely stems from signage for the scoping hearing, placed around Community Park South, leading some to assume that it is related to plans for the park, and might turn some of the existing open space into a parking lot. Continued on Page 10
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: More than 60,000 books arranged in 63 categories were featured at the annual Bryn Mawr-Wellesley Book Sale, held last Wednesday through Sunday at Stuart Country Day School. Attendees share what they found at the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)