Congress grills district leaders on rise in antisemitic incidents at high schools

Read the Full Transcript

• Geoff Bennett:

  While most of the national attention around protests and questions of antisemitism has been focused on college campuses, there have been concerns about incidents at some high schools too.

  And that was the focus of another charged hearing today on Capitol Hill. The hearing gave House Republicans a chance to confront officials from liberal cities about reports of antisemitism in their school districts.

  Lisa Desjardins has the report.

• Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL):

  The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education will come to order.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  After two high-profile hearings on antisemitism in higher education, House Republicans today shifted to K-12, the leaders of three public school districts in liberal areas, Berkeley, California, Montgomery County, Maryland, and New York City in the hot seat.

• Rep. Aaron Bean:

  But just like some college presidents before you that sat in the very same seats.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  This after some high schools have seen pro-Palestinian protests include antisemitic chants or threats. For example, in November, students at Hillcrest High School in New York took over halls, yelling about and looking for a Jewish teacher who had posted a pro-Israel photo.

  New York Mayor Eric Adams condemned the incident. Today, the Big Apple's schools chief, David Banks, said his agency takes this and other incidents seriously.

  David Banks, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education: We have suspended at least 30 students. We have involved the NYPD when hate crimes are committed. And we have retrained all 1,600 principals on our discipline code to ensure that it is enforced properly.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  But Republicans especially wanted more accountability.

• Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT):

  I mean, I'm hearing nice words, really nice words here, teaching, redirecting, directing. What I'm missing is discipline and I'm missing the word fired.

• David Banks:

  What I said was very clear. We suspended a number of students who were the leaders at Hillcrest High School, number one. Number two, we removed the principal of that school for lack of leadership and oversight.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  But, Banks told skeptical Republicans, the principal was moved to another district job, not fired, sparking debate, including with the ACLU's Emerson Sykes, over when anyone should be fired.

• Emerson Sykes, Senior Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union:

  Firing may be appropriate in certain circumstances, but I think we need to think about how we can address antisemitism, change hearts and minds, make children safe without only looking to the most punitive tool in our toolbox.

• Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI):

  Mr. Sykes, therein lies the problem Your ability to tolerate this behavior is completely unacceptable. And, sometimes, you do need to use this stick, because disincentives work.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Schools are a key policy and political push for Republicans, but with it comes questions about what is real and what is fearmongering.

• Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY):

  I want to switch to Origins High School. In October, 40 to 50 students marched through Origins High School chanting "Death to Israel" and kill the Jews.

• David Banks:

  We have found no evidence that actually happened. What we have found are a wide range of deeply troubling antisemitic things that have happened at Origins High School. This is the one case that has troubled me the most, Congresswoman. I will tell you that.

• Rep. Elise Stefanik:

  So what are the enforcement actions?

• David Banks:

  And we have — I'm trying to tell you, we have in fact suspended a number of students at that school. But, currently, this case now is under litigation, and I'm being advised not to speak to the specific things that have happened there.

  But just know that what — I had visited that school after these allegations have come up. I have met with parents, family, staff, students. I'm deeply troubled by what has happened there, and we're going to get to the bottom of it.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  The school district in Berkeley, led by Enikia Ford Morthel, is also facing legal scrutiny. The Anti-Defamation League filed a civil rights complaint, now a full-fledged Education Department investigation, that the school district has allowed an antisemitic climate.

• Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA):

  Has anyone been terminated?

• Enikia Ford Morthel, Berkeley Unified School District:

  In general, I can tell you that can't speak about personal matters, but I can tell you that we do follow up and we take action.

• Rep. Kevin Kiley:

  I'm pretty sure your colleague, Dr. — Mr. Banks, gave us an answer, so you can.

• Enikia Ford Morthel:

  And I respect and appreciate that, but I'm not going to be able to do that. I can let you know that, again, when any issue comes up, we investigate it, and, pending the outcome of that investigation, we do take action.

  And those actions range….

• Rep. Kevin Kiley:

  OK.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Democrats also blasted antisemitic incidents, but gave educators more chance to make their case.

• Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT):

  Do you think it would be important for students to understand why a statement like "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" could be harmful to some of their peers?

  Karla Silvestre, President, Montgomery County, Maryland, Board of Education: Absolutely, Congresswoman. That is — our role is to educate them on the history so that they can understand why our Jewish students might find that phrase antisemitic.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  The hearing brought tension and civil talk.

• David Banks:

  And I believe this deeply. It's not about having gotcha moments. It's about teaching.

• Rep. Aaron Bean:

  I would say it's been an excellent meeting.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  And more are coming. Leaders of UCLA, Michigan, and Yale will face this committee later in the month.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.