K-12 Schools Webinar Recap

Key Takeaways from our Webinar on Combating Antisemitism in K-12 Schools:

The Nature of Antisemitism in K-12 Schools

• Antisemitism appears in the curriculum (e.g., the “oppressed vs. oppressor dichotomy” and accusations that Jews are “white colonial white supremacists”).
• The bias is seen coming from both the far right (e.g., swastikas, Hitler ideology) and the far left (e.g., ethnic studies, colonialism, apartheid accusations).
• Incidents in the classroom translate into hate in the hallways and playgrounds (e.g., students told, “Get back in the oven” or “Hitler should have finished the job”).
• Curriculum bias can be subtle, appearing in omissions, factual inaccuracies, framing, leading perspectives, the use of stereotypes, or incomplete historical context.
• Problematic curricular providers include Rethinking Schools, the Zinn Education Project, KO, and Teachers Pay Teachers (an unvetted platform for teacher materials).
• The issue is systemic, involving school boards, teacher unions, and teacher colleges, not just isolated incidents.

Advocacy and Actionable Steps

Build Allyship: It is crucial to have non-Jewish allies speak up, as it speaks “volumes more” than Jewish voices alone.

Strategic Messaging: When seeking allies, align advocacy on “unassailable truths,” such as focusing on educational integrity, factual accuracy, and demanding that the school board focus on its job (e.g. managing finances).

Document and Collect Data: Collect documentation: emails, photographs, screenshots, and notes from conversations - to build a documented history and timeline, making it harder for school officials to treat issues as “one-off incidents”. Organizations like Stop Hate in Schools collect and make this data available to advocates.

Know Your Rights and Avenues for Action:

• Responses range from direct conversations with the teacher or principal to formal complaints (e.g., Uniform Complaints Process - UCP).
• Consult an attorney or advocate with experience for formal complaints or legal action.
• Immediately notify law enforcement if there are threats or a risk of harm.
• If a student is being harassed or threatened, parents can seek help from organizations like Peer K12, which can keep reports anonymous and advocate on the family’s behalf.

Engage with the School Board and Administration:

• School boards are important because they manage finances, oversee the superintendent, decide on curriculum, set policies, and pass resolutions.
• Build relationships with school board members and administration before a crisis arises; this allows for conversation rather than being seen only as a “complaining parent”.

Curriculum Access: Parents have a right to request and receive their child’s curriculum because public schools are publicly funded. If a teacher refuses to provide it, parents can use a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request or public record request.

Educate Students: Teach children what words and phrases to look for in class and encourage them to be upstanders for others.

Resources