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U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Baltimore City Public Schools in Baltimore, Maryland (BCPS) for allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
This investigation comes after a complaint filed with OCR alleged that BCPS tolerated numerous incidents of anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment by teachers and non-Jewish students against Jewish students, contravening Title VI’s prohibition on national-origin discrimination.
“The allegations that Baltimore City Public Schools tolerate virulent Nazi-inspired anti-Semitic harassment of its Jewish students is at once appalling and infuriating. When a teacher allegedly directs a Nazi salute toward a Jewish student, or non-Jewish students harass their Jewish contemporaries by saying ‘all Jews should die,’ we are not simply talking about contemptible bullying; we are talking about a shocking abdication of educator responsibility that constitutes unlawful anti-Semitic harassment under Title VI,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. “If true, these allegations confirm a disturbing trend: too many of our nation’s educational institutions are failing American students by inculcating in them a loathing for their own country and fellow citizens and a tolerance and acceptance for a deeply destructive ancient hatred. The Trump-McMahon Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights will vigorously investigate this matter and ensure American Jewish students can learn and flourish in an environment free from unlawful discrimination.”
Background
The complaint filed with OCR alleges that BCPS has permitted “egregious and persistent discrimination” against Jewish students by fellow students and teachers in several district schools. For instance, according to the complaint, BCPS continues to employ a teacher who “threatened to ‘go all Nazi’ on [his] students…and personally directed Nazi salutes towards a Jewish student,” even after BCPS’s investigation of the incident confirmed the teacher’s misconduct. BCPS allegedly failed to take any disciplinary action against the teacher.
The complaint further alleges that BCPS allowed non-Jewish students to bully Jewish classmates, including by performing Nazi salutes on the playground, drawing Nazi graffiti on desks and in textbooks, and telling Jewish students that “6 million [Jews] was not enough,” that “all Jews should die,” and that “we should call Hamas and have them come here.” As a result of these incidents and BCPS’s alleged failure to take substantive action, Jewish students have reported feeling afraid to walk down the hallways alone and are unable to focus on schoolwork.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color, and national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding.
