Jewish students face hostile environment in Georgia schools

Several Jewish civil rights groups have lodged a federal complaint, alleging that Jewish and Israeli students in K-12 schools in Fulton County, Georgia, have endured a “hostile” and “intolerable” environment since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. The complaint also claims these students frequently face antisemitism, bullying, and harassment.

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed this complaint with the US Department of Education on August 6, representing multiple Jewish organisations.

The complaint argues that the leadership, students, and staff at Fulton County School District, one of Georgia’s largest districts, have created a climate of hostility and fear. This atmosphere allegedly allows some students to harass Jewish peers with impunity, mocking their distress and threatening their families.

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It further claims that parents repeatedly reported antisemitism, but the district either denied the incidents’ antisemitic nature or offered inadequate solutions that did not address the hostile environment.

The complaint accuses the district of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, colour, or national origin.

Denise Katz-Prober, director of legal initiatives for the Brandeis Center, emphasised that the harassment is a troubling reminder of the persistence of antisemitism affecting students well before they reach college. She stated that Jewish and Israeli students’ families have been left to manage on their own due to administrators ignoring their complaints and failing to act. She urged the Fulton County School District (FCSD) to take swift corrective measures against the pervasive antisemitism.

A spokesperson for Fulton County School District confirmed on Tuesday that district officials are aware of the complaint. The district refuted the accusation, stating that it does not promote or tolerate antisemitism. They added that world events sometimes affect campuses, but inappropriate behaviour is taken seriously, investigated, and addressed.

The Fulton County School District educates over 87,000 students in metro Atlanta and surrounding areas. The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.

Marci Miller, director of legal investigations at the Brandeis Center, described the antisemitic incidents in the complaint as a nonexhaustive list. She highlighted that children rely on adults for protection, which is not happening in many cases, including in Fulton County schools, leading to a lasting impact on these children.

Miller noted that the groups are not seeking monetary compensation but are calling for further education on antisemitism. The complaint suggests remedies such as issuing a statement condemning antisemitism, appointing an independent investigator, creating a task force of Jewish leaders and students, and reimbursing students for counselling or other services obtained due to the harassment.

The complaint coincides with a reported rise in antisemitic, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic incidents as tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict affect classrooms and campuses nationwide. In recent months, Jewish civil rights and legal groups have filed complaints against school districts for allegedly failing to address the surge in antisemitic incidents since October 7.

In May, Enikia Ford Morthel, superintendent of California’s Berkeley Unified School District, was questioned during a Congressional hearing on antisemitism in public schools. Morthel confirmed an investigation by the Department of Education into alleged antisemitic incidents in her district but denied that the issues were unchecked.

The Department of Education has since announced multiple investigations into antisemitism or environment at schools and colleges across the country. The department’s Office of Civil Rights enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It states that investigating a complaint does not imply a determination of its merits. If violations are found, the department will work with both parties to outline corrective actions. Failure to comply could lead to the termination of federal financial assistance or referral to the Department of Justice.