Jerry Seinfeld Slams NY School Over Ridiculous New Announcement

The decision to offer a post-election “mental health day” at the prestigious New York City private school once attended by Jerry Seinfeld’s children has sparked backlash from the comedian himself, who questioned the school’s approach to resilience.

Ethical Culture Fieldston School, known for its “progressive” educational philosophy, announced on Thursday that students “too emotionally distressed” to attend classes the day after the election will be allowed excused absences.

According to an email from Stacey Bobo, principal of the upper school, students will have permission to skip classes on Wednesday — or whenever election results are declared — if they feel unable to “fully engage.”

Additionally, there will be no homework on Election Day, and assessments will be paused the following day, with on-campus psychologists available for counseling throughout the week. The announcement emphasized the school’s commitment to offering support during what it acknowledged could be a “high-stakes and emotional time.”

Seinfeld, who is famously outspoken, didn’t hold back his criticism of the plan. He attributed his younger son’s decision to transfer to a different school to policies like these, which he believes compromise resilience. “This is why the kids hated it,” Seinfeld told The New York Times.

“What kind of lives have these people led that makes them think that this is the right way to handle young people? To encourage them to buckle. This is the lesson they are providing, for ungodly sums of money.”

The Fieldston School, which charges tens of thousands of dollars in annual tuition, touts itself as a leader in “progressive education.”

According to its website, the school aims to nurture “independent thinkers” who understand that “asking their own questions and seeking their own answers are key to the deepest kind of understanding.”

The policy’s announcement follows the recent resignation of Joe Algrant, the school’s former head, amid heated debates over pro-Palestinian activism on campus.

As the school faces internal shifts, its commitment to “progressive education” remains under intense scrutiny from public figures like Seinfeld, who challenge its approach to fostering independence and mental resilience in students.

For now, the school remains steadfast in its position. “No matter the election outcome,” Bobo’s email stated, “we will create space to provide students with the support they may need.”

Whether that approach will continue to clash with voices like Seinfeld’s remains to be seen, but the debate over what schools owe to students during turbulent times is clearly far from over.