Jewish children have experienced alarming levels of antisemitism in America’s educational system since Hamas brutally attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
A disturbing new study by the Anti-Defamation League has found that antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools have jumped 434% since 2020, hitting 1,162 cases in 2023 and 860 in 2024.
“These independent schools are failing to support Jewish families. By tolerating — or in some cases, propagating — antisemitism in their classrooms, too many independent schools in cities across the country are sending a message that Jewish students are not welcome. It’s wrong. It’s hateful. And it must stop,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Wednesday.
Parents describe swastikas appearing in school facilities alongside classroom discussions where teachers or materials portrayed Zionism as inherently problematic. Other classroom discussions singled out Jewish students for their identity and perceived connection to Israel.
More than one-third of parents (34.3%) found their schools’ handling of antisemitic incidents insufficient, describing a failure to protect Jewish students from “unconscionable levels of antisemitic bullying.”
“School administrators and faculty have a duty to ensure safe, inclusive environments for all. ADL will fully invest in bolstering the families who are demanding that their schools meet this obligation,” said Shira Goodman, the organization’s vice president of advocacy.
In one disturbing case, a 12-year-old girl in California’s Etiwanda School District was assaulted with a stick while attackers told her to “shut your Jewish ass up” and made Hitler jokes. School officials reportedly declined to discipline anyone despite multiple complaints and at least one student admitting the attack was motivated by the victim’s Jewish identity.
Some Jewish families have begun quietly departing schools where their children feel unwelcome. More troubling still is the extent of unreported incidents, with the ADL finding that 21.3% of parents who knew their children experienced antisemitism never informed school officials.
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