Delaware K-12 school promises changes in response to federal probe of antisemitic bullying

The agreement followed a U.S. Department of Education investigation into how Red Clay Consolidated School handled a complaint from last June

From The Forward, by reporter Andrew Lapin. Full article here.

A Delaware public school district will send staff to anti-harassment training and compensate the family of a Jewish student who alleged antisemitic bullying.

The agreement followed a U.S. Department of Education investigation into how Red Clay Consolidated School District handled allegations of antisemitic incidents, detailed in a complaint to the agency last June. 

The agreement marks the first time in nine months that the education department announced the closure of an antisemitism-related investigation filed under Title VI, the clause of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination on the basis of “shared ancestry” or “national origin.”

It comes as the department embarks on a wave of antisemitism investigations at schools and colleges in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has triggered widespread allegations of antisemitism on campuses. What happened in Red Clay, the department said, should be seen as a model for its work.

“This important agreement requires the Red Clay Consolidated District to fulfill its federal civil rights obligation to ensure that all of its students, including Jewish students, can learn safely and without discriminatory harassment in its schools,” Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights in the department, said in a statement announcing the resolution. “We look forward to active work with this district going forward to protect Jewish students, and all students, from targeted discrimination that impedes their equal access to education.”

The department said that a student in the district, which includes parts of Wilmington and its suburbs, was targeted by her classmates for being Jewish. Classmates had written “Blood of the Jews” and drawn swastikas on paper airplanes, and raised their arms in Heil Hitler salutes at the student. 

U.S. Department of Education proposes changes to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

 To combat antisemitism, Education Department to propose rules on shared ancestry bias

The move follows White House calls to counter harassment and discrimination, as well as data showing a rise in hate crimes.

In Higher Ed Dive, reporter Kara Arundel. To read the full story go here.

The U.S. Department of Education plans to propose amending regulations that address the enforcement of K-12 and college cases involving harassment or discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, according to a regulatory announcement.

The proposed rulemaking for Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which comes amid an increase in school-based antisemitic incidents, is expected to be released in December.

In its announcement, the Education Department said the proposed rule would align with the Biden administration’s initiatives on combating antisemitism and advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities. Additionally, the department noted that its Office for Civil Rights has received complaints of harassment and assault directed at Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other students based on their shared ancestry or ethnicity.