K-12 school leaders reject allegations that they let antisemitism run rampant
WASHINGTON (AP) — Leaders of three large public school systems strongly denied allegations that they let antisemitism run rampant in their schools, telling a congressional panel Wednesday that they are fighting it with education and, when necessary, discipline.
As part of a series of hearings on antisemitism, a House Education and Workforce subcommittee sought testimony from leaders of the New York City Public Schools, the Berkeley Unified School District in California and the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.
“Let me be clear — we do not shy away from imposing consequences for hateful behavior, including antisemitism,” said Karla Silvestre, the board president of the suburban Maryland school system.
The first of the antisemitism hearings to focus on K-12 education comes amid a wave of pro-Palestinian student protests that have washed across dozens of U.S. universities and a growing number of high schools.
The committee’s hearings have been heated, with the first one in December precipitating the resignations of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, the testimony of Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, escalated into weeks of protests that spread well beyond her campus.
In an opening statement, Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., said antisemitism has become a “dominant force” in America’s schools, with students as young as second-graders “spewing Nazi propaganda.”
“You’ve been accused of doing nothing and turning a blind eye,” he said.
Chancellor David Banks from New York questioned whether the panel’s actions had brought schools any closer to address antisemitism on campuses.
“This convening, for too many people across America in education, feels like the ultimate ‘gotcha’ moment,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like people who are actually trying to solve for something that I believe we should be doing everything we can to solve for.”
Banks cited actions his district has taken, including student suspensions and employee terminations. But he also emphasized the role of education, saying the district is building a new curriculum on the contributions of the Jewish community, along with separate lessons about hate crimes and bias.
“We cannot simply discipline our way out of this problem,” Banks said. “The true antidote to ignorance and bias is to teach.”
Silvestre described a similar approach in Montgomery County. Classrooms have more lessons on the Jewish experience, and the district will now require “hate-based training” for all sta¤, she said. Teachers who don’t provide a safe learning environment “will not remain in Montgomery County public schools,” she said.
Each of the leaders acknowledged a rise in antisemitism, but Berkeley Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel denied that it has become “pervasive.” Since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, her district has received complaints of antisemitism arising from nine incidents within the district’s jurisdiction, she said.
“We take action to teach, correct and redirect our students,” she said. “We do not publish our actions because student information is private and legally protected under federal and state law. As a result, some believe we do nothing. This is not true.”
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D- Ore., criticized Republicans for their focus on antisemitism in liberal school districts while ignoring statements by Donald Trump. In the latest example of the former president’s use of the language of Nazi Germany in his campaign rhetoric, Trump told Republican donors at his Florida resort last weekend that President Joe Biden is running a “Gestapo administration.”