Attorneys have written a complaint regarding the School District of Philadelphia's reported failure to protect Jewish students from a "virulent wave of antisemitism" that has swept through its schools since the Hamas terror attacks on Israel in October.
The complaint says some Jewish students have been forced to drop out of school while some teachers and administrators have been allowed to spread inflammatory, anti-Jew, and anti-Israel messaging on social media and in the classroom with no repercussion.
Sophia Witt, executive vice president of Students Supporting Israel (SSI), says it is disappointing to see school employees failing to ensure the safety of "the most precious thing" parents have entrusted to them.
"I think Philadelphia is not exclusive in this subject," she laments. "I think that a lot of school districts have fallen short of training for faculty and administration."
The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy group, has asked the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to order the district to issue a statement denouncing antisemitism and to take disciplinary action against teachers and students who engage in discrimination and harassment. The ADL also wants training for faculty, staff, and students and the removal of antisemitic posters, flags, and other material on school property.
In Witt's view, "A statement is the bare minimum." She would like to see administrators taking courses on antisemitism and really understanding what it is so they can recognize and address it when it inevitably rears its head.
"I think that that's something that a lot of staff, administration, and employees of these school districts are lacking," she says.
She does not think anyone should be given a pass to discriminate.
