Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) was placed under investigation by the Department of Education (ED) on Thursday for allegedly allowing “Nazi-inspired” antisemitism to run free in the district.
A complaint filed with the department’s civil rights division alleged the district failed to discipline a teacher who “threatened to ‘go all Nazi’ on [his] students … and personally directed Nazi salutes towards a Jewish student,” according to ED. Despite BCPS investigating the incident, the school “failed to take any disciplinary action against the teacher.”
“The allegations that Baltimore City Public Schools tolerate virulent Nazi-inspired anti-Semitic harassment of its Jewish students is at once appalling and infuriating,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at ED, said in the press release. “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.”
BCPS did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
BCPS also allegedly allowed students to harass Jewish students 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,” according to the complaint received by ED. Jewish students in the district reported having difficulties focusing on schoolwork and were “afraid to walk down the hallways alone.”
“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,” Trainor continued. “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.”
Many schools and universities have been placed under investigation by the Trump administration for blatant civil rights violations involving antisemitism. Campuses saw massive protests for months following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with some seeing egregious cases where administrators allowed and at times encouraged harassment towards Jewish students.
Since the administration’s crackdown, some schools have taken drastic steps to counter the harassment, such as adopting definitions of antisemitism that prevent any criticisms of Jewish people or Israel.
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