Philadelphia school district faces federal complaint over antisemitism News
It's Our City, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Philadelphia school district faces federal complaint over antisemitism

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) filed a federal complaint on Tuesday addressed to the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights under Title VI alleging that antisemitism is rampant in the Philadelphia school district. Title VI or the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibits discrimination based on shared ancestry and provides for safe learning environments.

The complaint alleges that several educators and administrators have been actively disseminating antisemitic information on social media without consequences. This comes after a complaint in May by the School District of Philadelphia Jewish Family Association, which echoed similar concerns. A federal investigation into those allegations commenced on April 9. In this complaint, the ADL demanded the board issue a statement denouncing antisemitism, initiate disciplinary action against teachers and students who engage in such acts, mandate training for all staff and students, and remove all antisemitic content from school property.

The complaint also highlights how some Jewish students have been forced to withdraw from school due to the hostile environment. James Pasch, the senior director of the national litigation for the Anti-Defamation League stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter):

Since the October 7 attack, the Philadelphia Schools have fostered a toxic environment that has allowed antisemitism against Jewish students to metastasize and fester without repercussions – it must stop now.

The Philadelphia School District declined to comment on the new allegations, citing a policy of not discussing open investigations.

This is part of a broader national context of increased tensions on school campuses following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. In May, a House Education subcommittee held a hearing on antisemitism in K-12 public schools with lawmakers hearing testimony from the leaders of some of America’s largest school boards, including New York City and Montgomery County. There has also been a reported rise in antisemitism on US University campuses and in December 2023 the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce opened a formal investigation into Penn, Harvard, and MIT’s response to rising antisemitism on their campuses. In March, Jewish students sued MIT for alleged complicity in antisemitism on campus. There has also been a noted rise in antisemitism globally.

 

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