Jerry Seinfeld is slamming his kids’ former private school in the Bronx for allowing “emotionally distressed” students to skip school when Election Day results are announced.
Psychologists will also be available during Election Week to high schoolers at the pricy Ethical Culture Fieldston School in Riverdale, according to an email sent to the school community Thursday and viewed by The New York Times.
Upper school principal Stacey Bobo said in the notice that the $65,000-a-year school “will create space to provide students with the support they may need,” regardless of who wins the presidency, and that excused absences are permitted the day results are announced. Students will also not have homework assigned on Election Day, nor will any assessments occur Wednesday.
“This is why the kids hated it,” the titular “Seinfeld” star and co-creator, 70, told the Times.
Though the New York native and wife Jessica sent their sons, Julian, 21, and Shepherd, 19, to the school, the latter transferred in eighth grade to $57,00-a-year Riverdale Country School.
“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,” said the Emmy winner. “This is the lesson they are providing, for ungodly sums of money.”
Seinfeld has been outspoken about his support of Israel amid the war in Gaza. The conflict has spurred infighting amongst Ethical Culture students, families, faculty and alumni. The Times reported in August that head-of-school Joe Algrant had stepped down as a result of the tensions.
Earlier this year, Seinfeld faced his own backlash after saying he missed “dominant masculinity” and the social hierarchy of the latter 20th century. Shortly before that, he accused “the extreme left and P.C. crap” of ruining comedy, remarks he recently walked back.
“I said that the ‘extreme left’ has suppressed the art of comedy. I did say that. That’s not true,” the comedian said during his Oct. 15 appearance on Tom Papa’s “Breaking Bread” podcast.
