Congress examines antisemitism in high schools

(NewsNation) — House Republicans grilled the leaders of three public school districts over how they have handled antisemitism in schools, a move that follows similar hearings regarding antisemitism on college campuses.

Leaders spoke from New York City; Berkeley, California; and Montgomery County, Maryland, areas that all have large Jewish populations. The questioning came as pro-Palestine protests have spread across the country, sparking debate over free speech and when protest becomes antisemitism.

Previous hearings led to resignations from leaders at top universities. Lawmakers have also threatened to take action against schools that don’t crack down on protests.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., told NewsNation that schools must do more to protect Jewish students.

“Every student deserves to be safe and feel safe while they’re in school,” she said. “Antisemitism is not a new issue. We have seen a stark increase since October 7.”

Bonamici noted incidents of Islamophobia and other hate speech have risen as well. She said educators need to work on how to have respectful dialogue about issues where people may disagree. While she said there were not too many examples of antisemitism in the testimony, she said lawmakers have heard of incidents in high schools.

“We do have free speech in this country,” Bonamici said. “But these are our students, and they deserve a learning environment that is free from discrimination and one in which they feel and are comfortable.”