Anti-Semitism rampant in Philadelphia schools, Anti-Defamation League alleges in civil rights complaint

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia school district failed to protect Jewish students from “a virulent wave of anti-Semitism” that swept through classrooms after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday.

The video in the player above is from an earlier Action News report.

The district, one of the largest public school systems in the U.S., has ignored persistent harassment and bullying of Jewish students, some of whom have been forced to drop out, attorneys wrote in the complaint. Some teachers and administrators have spread inflammatory anti-Jewish and anti-Israel messages on social media and even in the classroom without repercussions, the complaint said.

The Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish advocacy group, has asked the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to order the district to issue a statement condemning anti-Semitism and to take disciplinary action against teachers and students who engage in discrimination and harassment. The ADL also wants training for teachers, staff and students and the removal of anti-Semitic posters, flags and other material on school grounds.

Colleges, universities and high schools across the country have seen a wave of pro-Palestinian student protests in response to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, taking hostages and killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The death toll in Gaza recently surpassed 39,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which makes no distinction between combatants and civilians.

Most of the attention has focused on protests that rocked college campuses this spring and led to thousands of arrests. But a recent congressional hearing put anti-Semitism in K-12 education in the spotlight, with leaders of New York City Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland and the Berkeley Unified School District in California all vigorously denying that they have failed to address hostility toward Jewish people.

Like Philadelphia, New York City and Montgomery County are facing civil rights investigations by the Education Department over allegations of anti-Semitism. The ADL has filed a complaint against Berkeley in California state court.

In Philadelphia, school leaders have allowed hostility toward Jewish students to spread and grow over the past nine months. They have failed to address “a pervasive culture of retaliation and fear” that has left Jewish students and parents afraid to even speak out, James Pasch, senior director of national litigation at ADL, said in an interview Tuesday.

“There is an environment here that really needs to change, and it needs to change now,” he said.

A group of pro-Palestinian teachers called Philly Educators for Palestine, which was named in the complaint, responded Tuesday by accusing the ADL of “multiple inaccuracies.” The group added in a statement to The Associated Press that “criticism of Zionism or the Israeli government is not anti-Semitism, and attempts to label it as such are not only anti-Semitic in and of themselves, but also troubling because they effectively eliminate any opportunity for critical thinking and discussion.”

In May, a group called the School District of Philadelphia Jewish Family Association made similar allegations against Philadelphia schools in a complaint to the Department of Education under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on shared ancestry.

The Philadelphia School District issued the following statement in response to the complaint:

“The School District of Philadelphia is aware of the Anti-Defamation League’s complaint but does not comment on litigation or ongoing investigations. The District represents a diverse community of students, families and staff, and we strive to ensure that our schools are safe havens where everyone feels physically, mentally, emotionally and socially safe.

The district strives to create safe learning spaces while navigating diverse perspectives and how students and staff are experiencing complex current events. This year, we have taken the following initial steps to promote inclusive, respectful learning spaces in our school system:

– Sent multiple communications to all staff, students, and families regarding how members of our community can report allegations of harassment and discrimination for investigation;

– In partnership with Facing History and Ourselves, we provide school communities with professional development opportunities to prepare students for civic life and to better understand themselves and the world;

– Planned forums, one of which will take place this week, for all students, but particularly Congolese, Haitian, Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, and Sudanese students, to share how we, as a district, can better support them. These forums, which will continue throughout the fall, will provide an opportunity for us to learn and better understand students’ experiences; and

– An RFP has been issued for additional professional support for the 2024-2025 school year to support school leaders, teachers, students and Central Office staff.