Anti-Defamation League has filed a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights, alleging a culture of antisemitism in the School District of Philadelphia.
The complaint detailed a “viciously hostile” environment for Jewish students in the city’s K-12 schools since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. It included descriptions of incidents involving students who expressed “Free Palestine” taunts and made Nazi salutes. Another incident described the erasure of Israel from a map of the Middle East.
The Office for Civil Rights is a division within the U.S. Department of Education. ADL filed the complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in educational institutions that receive federal funding.
ADL wants the district to release a statement denouncing antisemitism, accept a definition of antisemitism that acknowledges Zionism as part of the Jewish identity, provide training on antisemitism to members of the school community and appoint an investigator to assess the school climate, according to ADL Philadelphia Regional Director Andrew Goretsky.
Goretsky said the anti-hate organization concluded that it had to file the complaint after receiving grievances from parents.
“It’s bad enough that antisemitism is severe, pervasive and in the district. What’s even worse is that the response from the school district or lack thereof has created a chilling effect to Jewish students and parents to not even want to report antisemitism when it’s occurring,” he said.
The district responded by saying it did not comment on litigation and active investigations.
“The District represents a diverse community of students, families and staff, and we are committed to our schools being safe havens, where everyone feels safe physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially,” a statement from the district read. “The District seeks to create safe learning spaces while navigating diverse perspectives and how students and staff are experiencing complex current events.”
Since Oct. 7, the culture of antisemitism in the School District of Philadelphia has manifested in many forms, according to the ADL. Its complaint to the Office for Civil Rights ran 49 pages long.
One eighth-grade student had another student approach him and shout, “F— you” and “Free Palestine.” The same student also faced “Praise Hitler” comments and a Nazi salute. He later dropped out of the district due to an inadequate response from officials, according to the ADL complaint.
Swastikas appeared at the Masterman School, Southwark School, Swenson Arts & Technology High School and George Washington High School.
On Halloween, “a student at Masterman came to school dressed as a Palestinian freedom fighter and attempted to drape a Palestinian flag over a Jewish student. The principal of the school then publicly praised the costume.”
At Baldi Middle School, Israel was erased off a map handed out in a geography class.
Goretsky was originally optimistic when district officials agreed to meet with him and leaders from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
“I lost that optimism,” he said.
In its response to the complaint, the district detailed its approaches for dealing with the ongoing situation.
It issued “communications to all staff, students and families about how members of our community can report allegations of harassment and discrimination for investigation.” It also “Contracted with Facing History and Ourselves to provide professional development opportunities for school communities to help students prepare for civic life and better understand themselves and the world.” It also offered opportunities for Congolese, Haitian, Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian and Sudanese students to share “to share how we, as a District, may better support them.”
“It is profoundly disheartening to witness such unbridled and pervasive hatred towards Jews manifesting within the public schools of Philadelphia,” said members of the steering committee of the School District of Philadelphia’s Jewish Family Association to the ADL. “While our country is far from flawless, it is rooted in principles that enable our ongoing growth and evolution. No individual should endure the torrents of animosity, vitriol, violence, and baseless accusations that have been directed at our Jewish students, exacerbated by the very educators and administrators entrusted with their safety.” T
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