Members of Congress questioned public-school leaders on Wednesday regarding their approach to disciplining teachers and students involved in antisemitic behavior since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
During the two-hour hearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, several tense moments arose, although the general consensus in the room was that education about Jewish history from a young age and firm consequences for antisemitic behavior are crucial to combatting antisemitism among youth. “We cannot simply discipline our way out of this problem,” stated David Banks, the chancellor of New York City Public Schools, to the committee.
“The true antidote to ignorance and bias is education.”
This hearing marked the third time the committee had convened with school leaders to discuss antisemitism.
The previous fall, the committee had scrutinized the presidents of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania over their responses to protests and allegations of antisemitism on campus following attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7. The fallout from those hearings led to the resignations of the presidents of Harvard and Penn.
The committee had also recently targeted the president of Columbia University over similar topics, resulting in protests and multiple arrests on the New York campus. Wednesday’s hearing was called in response to allegations of antisemitic incidents in several public high schools.
During the hearing, Republican lawmakers challenged Banks regarding his handling of a disruptive student protest in November at Hillcrest High School in Queens, which targeted a teacher supportive of Israel. Banks explained that the district had suspended several students, replaced the principal, and enlisted a Jewish organization to educate the student body.
The committee members cited numerous antisemitic incidents, including students chanting "Kill the Jews" and performing Nazi salutes, as well as instances of swastikas being drawn on campuses. Classroom teachings were also scrutinized, such as a slide in a Berkeley, Calif., lesson that portrayed the phrase “From the river to the sea” as a call for freedom and peace by some Palestinians, which many find antisemitic.
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has initiated investigations into alleged antisemitism in each of the three districts called to testify on Wednesday, along with several dozen other school districts.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D., Ore.) emphasized the need for increased funding for the Office for Civil Rights to handle the growing number of discrimination complaints. “Every student deserves to feel safe at school,” she stated.
Incidents in New York City Public Schools, the largest school system in the country, received significant attention. Banks addressed a hostile climate at Origins High School in Brooklyn, now the subject of a lawsuit alleging widespread antisemitism.
The school leaders indicated that they are collaborating with external organizations to revise curriculum related to Jewish history. Silvestre noted that Montgomery County schools would provide mandatory anti-hate training for all staff.
In a tense exchange, Rep. Brandon Williams (R., N.Y.) criticized Banks for not firing the Hillcrest principal, questioning whether Jewish families are truly comforted by the resolution under Banks's leadership.