Abington high school principal returns after investigation into antisemitic social media post
Principal Alice Swift was placed on leave Feb. 12. The district said one of her social media posts "contained an antisemitic stereotype," and she returned to work this week after an investigation.
The principal of Abington Senior High School has been reinstated after an investigation into social media posts with antisemitic content.
Alice Swift, who was placed on leave Feb. 12, returned to school Wednesday. District officials said in a letter to high school staff and families Tuesday that the findings of a third-party investigation had supported Swift’s reinstatement.
The district had referred to allegations of “inappropriate social media posts” when it placed Swift on leave last month.
In the letter Tuesday, Superintendent Jeffrey Fecher said one of the posts “contained an antisemitic stereotype and was not aligned with the values of Abington School District.” He said the district could not provide further information about the posts.
“Given the sensitive nature of the posts that were called into question, we understand that there are members of our school community who may still be experiencing a sense of hurt, especially those in our Jewish community,” Fecher said.
He said the district would work with faith leaders and the Anti-Defamation League “to ensure that Dr. Swift, along with students and staff, receive additional programming and training that align with our commitment to fostering welcoming, safe and positive learning environments for all of our students.”
In a statement shared with staff and families Tuesday, Swift said that “recent content associated with my social media account has circulated within our community, and it is important to me that I address it directly.”
“I want to be clear that this content does not represent me, my values, or anything I would ever choose to share,” Swift said. “I recognize, however, that regardless of how this content came to be shared, it caused real distress for members of our school community.”
She said she accepted “full responsibility for not ensuring appropriate safeguards for my social media account, as the content does not reflect my core values and beliefs.”
District officials said Swift would be meeting with student and community groups over the coming weeks.
“I am pleased that Dr. Swift is willing to engage in such conversations in order to begin the process of restoring trust,” school board president Melissa Mowry said in Tuesday’s letter to families. “Central to this process is Dr. Swift’s welcome recognition that the post in question was corrosive and her explicit rejection of its antisemitism.”
A former teacher and administrator in Maryland schools, Swift became principal of Abington Senior High School in 2024. She graduated from Abington in 1983.