US EditionStates are pushing for more scrutiny of antisemitism in schools
States adopt IHRA antisemitism definition and pass laws for school accountability, training, and educator networks amid a nationwide rise in incidents, with 860 reported last year, ADL said.
- Earlier this year, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee lawmakers passed measures and California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law to fund antisemitism prevention in schools, with dozens of states adopting the IHRA definition.
- Tensions from the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas contributed to a spike in antisemitic incidents in schools, with the Anti‑Defamation League recording over 1,100 incidents in 2023.
- In a Massachusetts example, high school teacher Josh Hirsch posted support for Israel after Oct. 7 and faced harassment, while Berkeley students asked Jewish classmates about Holocaust tattoo numbers.
- Civil liberties groups warned new rules could suppress pro‑Palestinian speech while the National Education Association debated ADL materials and Arizona's Democratic governor vetoed a bill, opposed by Oklahoma state senator Kristen Thompson.
- Critics say political dynamics complicate efforts to define and address antisemitism in schools, with the White House leaving complaints to the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights while House Republicans scrutinize districts.
52 Articles
52 Articles
▶ The Media Called It Hooliganism. It Was Antisemitism.
What happened in Birmingham, England, wasn’t about soccer. Outside Aston Villa’s match against Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, mobs gathered—not to cheer for their team, but to hunt Jews. Israeli fans had already been banned “to keep the peace,” yet the violence came anyway. Police described it as “significant hooliganism within Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fan base”—even though Israeli supporters weren’t allowed to attend. That framing allowed the media to av…
Associated Press News
States are pushing for more scrutiny of antisemitism in schools
Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war have spilled into K-12 schools around the U.S., with advocates reporting a rise in antisemitism since the 2023 surprise attack on Israel.
Clara Bünger, the Left Party's spokesperson on domestic policy, sees antisemitism as present in all social milieus and political spectrums, not just on the left: "The fight against antisemitism is one of the most important tasks of our time," she told Der Spiegel. Bünger also referred to the available data. The current study on the center of society shows that antisemitic attitudes in their various dimensions are widespread. The debate about lef…
States are pushing for more scrutiny of antisemitism in schools - Regional Media News
In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas two years ago, high school teacher Josh Hirsch posted comments on social media in support of Israel. It was unrealistic for Hamas to expect a ceasefire, he wrote, as long as they were holding hostages. Soon afterward, a former student called for his firing. A note taped outside the door of his Adams County, Colorado, classroom contained his wife's name and their home address. And a sticker…
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