Trump Administration Intensifies Fight Against Antisemitism in Schools and Universities
In a significant move to combat the rising tide of antisemitism, particularly within educational institutions, the Trump administration has initiated a series of measures aimed at protecting Jewish students and faculty. A January 29th executive order directed additional resources to combat antisemitism, citing the surge in anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel.
Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights and head of the new Justice Department Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, emphasized the administration’s commitment to utilizing "every tool" within the Department of Justice to address this issue. Attorney General Pam Bondi has reportedly given Terrell the "green light" to employ the full power of the federal government to halt antisemitic behavior.
Terrell expressed concern over what he described as a societal "turning back" on Jewish Americans, highlighting a perceived lack of protection for Jewish individuals in schools and daily life compared to other citizens. This includes both college campuses and K-12 schools.
The issue appears to be particularly acute within the New York City Public School system. The New York Public Schools Alliance, a coalition of concerned teachers, students, and administrators, conducted an investigation in October 2024 into alleged anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and anti-American bias within the city’s public schools. The Alliance’s findings pointed to a failure in safeguarding teachers and students from discrimination, the presence of biased materials in education and curriculum development, and a politically charged atmosphere that has exacerbated divisions within schools.
Adding to the seriousness of the situation, the Trump administration’s Education Department has launched investigations into what it describes as an "explosion of antisemitism" at five universities.
The Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island has emerged as a focal point of concern. Parents of Wagner students have reportedly contacted New York City Council member David Carr to express their unease about displays of what they perceived as hatred during the school’s International Festival in January.
According to Carr, while the International Festival is typically a celebration of the school’s diverse student body, this year, some audience members shouted "Free Palestine" during the Israeli Student Club’s performances. Additional antisemitic remarks were allegedly directed at the students before their final performance. While those responsible were escorted out and banned from future events, the incident underscores the tensions present within the school.
A Wagner student, speaking anonymously, recounted that the individuals being removed from the building shouted "stinky Jews" as the Israeli Club dancers went to the stage. The student also claimed that school personnel apologized to the offending audience members while escorting them from the facility.
Carr has engaged in conversations with school leadership and intends to continue discussions to foster a more inclusive and comfortable environment for all students. He emphasized that it’s "unacceptable that students be subjected to hate speech," and described antisemitism as "the most pernicious form of hate…in human history."
The anonymous Wagner student further alleged that, besides the hate speech, several staff members have been wearing pro-Palestine paraphernalia. While acknowledging that some teachers have never made discriminatory remarks, the student said the clothing choices send an intimidating message.
Wagner administrators have also reportedly participated in activities that promote a one-sided view of the Israel-Gaza conflict. The Wagner Arab Student Association, in April 2024, hosted a "survivor of the ongoing genocide in Gaza" to speak to students, with teachers and Principal David Cugini present.
The Wagner student expressed that this has created a climate where "nobody wants to say anything, because they’re so sure that nothing will get done." The student believes the school’s actions have essentially shown Jewish students that they are "at the bottom of the food chain."
Adding to the problem, there are allegations that reported incidents of antisemitic hate are being mislabeled. The New York City Public School Alliance shared five New York City school occurrence reports with Fox News Digital that described acts of alleged anti-Israel or antisemitic hate reported by staff and students at various public schools. Each of these incidents was reportedly recorded as not being bias-related.
Fox News Digital reached out to interim Superintendent Roderick Palton and Principal Cugini for comment on these issues, but received no response.
A New York City Department of Education spokesperson stated that New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) are participating in training and workshops to "foster respectful and empathetic classroom conversation on difficult topics." The spokesperson also mentioned the "Hidden Voices" curricular resources, which highlight the diverse experiences of New Yorkers, including the AAPI, LGBTQ, and Global African Diaspora communities. They said the city is expanding Hidden Voices to include Jewish American and Muslim American communities.
However, the NYCPS Alliance report criticizes the Hidden Voices curriculum, arguing that its emphasis on "resistance to colonialism, oppression, and marginalization" and its tendency to present "incomplete or one-sided narratives" may contribute to biased worldviews and create a hostile learning environment for Jewish students.
Despite these concerns, the schools spokesperson claimed that religious bias incidents in NYCPS are "down by 46% so far this year." The spokesperson said the department is working closely with schools to ensure that reports of antisemitism or other bias are swiftly investigated and consequences are imposed for any violations of policies.
Karen Feldman of the NYPC Alliance questions the claimed decline. "I find it interesting how they could assess [a] 46% decrease when they’re not even logging the incidents of Jewish hate properly. They’re not even logging it as biased incidents," she stated.
Feldman also voiced alarm over the environment at Susan E. Wagner, where administrators are allegedly "witness to the indoctrination and the twist of history" and the "fear, intimidation, [and] silencing tactics" that allow incidents to "go unreported or unresolved."
She said the students are "being guided poorly by their school. They’re not being supported. They feel alienated. They feel threatened." Feldman warned that anti-Jewish prejudice is "an alarm system. It’s a warning sign that something is rotten in society."
Terrell announced that several changes are forthcoming to protect Jewish students and teachers who feel they are not being heard by their schools. These include a dedicated "complaint number that is going to come directly to the task force" for victims of antisemitic prejudice.
He offered a message of hope: "Help is on its way."
Fox News Digital’s request for comment from New York City Mayor Eric Adams regarding the atmosphere of antisemitism in the city’s public schools went unanswered.
