The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has taken legal action against Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS), filing a federal civil rights complaint with allegations that the district has been dismissive of ongoing antisemitic harassment. This complaint, submitted to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, details a series of troubling incidents, including a teacher at Bard High School Early College who reportedly presented Nazi salutes towards a Jewish student, and students at Mt. Washington School who are accused of consistently performing Nazi salutes.
In the face of these allegations, BCPS claims to have addressed the events when they initially occurred. "When we know that something happened, and we received a report whether it be at Bard or Mt. Washington or Poly, we were able to address it," BCPS spokesperson Andre Riley stated in a CBS News Baltimore interview. The district stressed its commitment to combating antisemitism, with Riley emphasizing, "We reject antisemitism, racism, or any kind of bullying in our school district."
The filed complaint seeks to prompt an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education into the school district's environment and to urge the implementation of various remedies. These include mandatory staff training, curriculum updates, and the strict enforcement of zero-tolerance policies against antisemitic behavior, as noted by CBS News Baltimore. The allegations rise from a backdrop of increasing antisemitic tension in the city, with the ADL reporting escalated harassment following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The broader community response includes actions like The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore recently launching The Center to Combat Antisemitism and Hate, an initiative aimed at public education and combating misinformation. However, Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, expressed concern in an interview, as reported by WBAL-TV, "It's obviously of great concern to see these allegations being raised about incidents that happened at individual Baltimore City schools."
Despite these affirmations, the district's immediate measures and their efficacy remain to be disclosed.
