The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported an approximate 360% increase in antisemitic incidents in the three months following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, including physical assault, vandalism, and verbal and written harassment. This wave of incidents has included attacks beyond typical antisemitism, with incidents that have targeted local businesses owned by Jewish people, such as coffee shops and restaurants. There have also been some 500 incidents reported on college campuses as well as 256 incidents in K-12 school districts.
“The American Jewish community is facing a threat level that’s now unprecedented in modern history,” stated the CEO of the ADL, Jonathan Greenblatt, in the report. “It’s shocking that we’ve recorded more antisemitic acts in three months than we usually would in an entire year.”
K-12 schools not immune
Teachers across the country have filed complaints reporting both antisemitic behavior in schools and also what they have considered a lack of action by school administrators. “It is impossibly hard to grasp how antisemitism has become such a dominant force in our K-12 schools,’’ said Aaron Bean, R-Fla., chair of the House Education Subcommittee on Early Childhood Elementary and Secondary Education, at a hearing on May 8.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened a formal investigation into a complaint that Berkeley USD (Calif.) has failed to address the bullying and harassment of Jewish students since the October 7 attacks. In his opening statement, Rep. Bean stated ‘‘Jewish students in their districts fear riding the bus, wearing their kippah to school or just eating and breathing as a Jewish student.”
The rampant antisemitism has raised concerns among educators, parents, and students who are worried about the welfare and well-being of Jewish students. “When you have rallies for Gaza, with students yelling, ‘F— the Jews’ or ‘Gas the Jews,’ then you have an antisemitism problem,” says Rachel Lerman, general counsel and vice chair of the Brandeis Center.
The ADL filed a federal complaint on July 23 against the School District of Philadelphia on behalf of Jewish parents whose children have been subjected to "severe and persistent harassment and discrimination" by other students and teachers in the district. The complaint cited many specific incidents and claimed that "the district has encouraged a rampant culture of retaliation and fear that has prevented Jewish parents and students from coming forward" to report antisemitic harassment, bullying, or discrimination, said James Pasch, ADL Senior Director of National Litigation, in a statement.
To provide advice and recommendations, the ADL has developed a guide, Implementing the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in K-12 Schools: A Guide for Education Professionals, State Education Departments, & School Administrators, to help create safe and welcoming learning environments for Jewish students in K-12 schools.
Recommendations in the guide as well as other related resources include:
Define antisemitism
Antidiscrimination policies should explicitly define antisemitic behavior, including anti-Jewish hate speech and actions, the use of antisemitic symbols, Holocaust denial, vandalism, online harassment, and bullying and harassment of Jewish students and staff.
Developing a clear reporting and anonymous reporting system can help students and staff feel safe to come forward and report incidents they may encounter or witness. Hateful actions and speech should have clear consequences, and there must be clear protocols for handling reports, including a procedure of investigation, disciplinary action, and support for the affected children or staff.
Ensuring that these policies are applied consistently and also that any incident of antisemitism is addressed quickly and effectively will create a culture of zero tolerance.
Increase awareness of Jewish culture and antisemitism
Anti-bias and antisemitism training should be mandatory for all staff. Providing opportunities for staff growth and development through courses such as addressing antisemitism can help provide a foundational understanding of Jewish history and equip educators and students with the skills to handle difficult conversations and topics.
In a time of rising antisemitism, being intentional about including lesson plans that help students broaden their knowledge of Jewish culture and antisemitism is key. Educators can choose to implement lesson plans and dedicated units to increase awareness about the Jewish experience and antisemitism.
The ADL and Echoes & Reflections offer lesson plans and resources on Antisemitism and teaching about contemporary antisemitism. Echoes & Reflections also offers student courses such as awareness to action: challenging antisemitism.
Focus on critical thinking skills
In an era of misinformation and disinformation, hate speech and antisemitism thrive online. Emphasizing media literacy and critical analysis skills can help students spot bias more effectively and enable them to analyze such online sources for reliability.
The Center for Media Literacy (CML) provides a helpful framework of Five Key Questions that can help students understand the content they are consuming and analyze it. Using tools such as Newslea or Common Sense Education can be a helpful tactic for students, enabling them to practice engaging with the news.
Improved media literacy can encourage students to navigate content more confidently and know when to question biased information or to recognize and reject hate speech.
Provide a support network
In times of hardship, fostering community engagement is vital. Students and staff may be experiencing fear and uncertainty, and support networks can be vital for boosting morale.
Student initiatives such as Jewish student unions and peer support groups can provide a safe haven for students to engage in open dialogue, and as a result, they can help one another process any feelings or emotions that are coming up.
School districts can ensure they have a wide range of support services, including counseling and mental health resources, academic accommodations, and family support resources. By getting involved with the wider community, school districts can reach the wider Jewish network and find other resources they would alternatively not have access to. Community engagement and collaboration can help encourage educational programs as well as future events or workshops that promote unity.
For more information, visit the ADL.org, or download the ADL Toolkit
