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Antisemitic incidents in K-12 US schools surge 700% since October 7th

Of these cases, 65% involved student bullying, and 35% involved anti-Jewish classroom materials, remarks, and discriminatory treatment. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Antisemitic incidents in US K-12 schools rose by 690% between October and January, according to the Israeli American Council’s (IAC’s) School Watch program.

During the three-month period, there were 324 antisemitic incidents reported, an average of 27 cases per week.

Over the same three-month period the previous year, there were a total of only 41 reported antisemitic incidents.

Of these cases, 65% involved student bullying, and 35% involved anti-Jewish classroom materials, remarks, and discriminatory treatment.

The majority of the cases were reported in high schools, with fewer reported in middle and elementary schools.

Karen Bar-Or, Vice President of Civic Engagement and Fighting Antisemitism at the IAC, expressed outrage, although little surprise, over the rise in antisemitism in US schools.

She said, “The current wave of antisemitism we are witnessing across schools in the U.S. is appalling. This should come as no surprise, following years of neglecting to address the issue of Jew hatred properly.”

In one incident, a student gave a Jewish teacher the Hitler salute.

At a Fairlawn, NJ, middle school, Jewish students were taunted with statements such as, “Israel made up the October 7th attack,” with other students praising Hamas’s massacre of Israelis and the beheading of children.

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Elan Carr, CEO of the IAC and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism expressed concern over the increase in anti-Jewish bullying and harassment and emphasized the IAC’s focus on keeping Jews and Israelis safe at US educational institutions.

He said, “Our mission through IAC School Watch is to ensure that Jewish and Israeli-American students in grades K-12 never have to face bias and hatred because of their identity.”

Carr added, “We are ever-more determined to make sure our schools are safe places for all students.”