Antisemitism in Massachusetts K-12 schools is a 'pervasive and escalating problem': State commission

Rick Sobey, Boston Herald on Jul 8, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Antisemitism is a “pervasive and escalating problem” in local K-12 schools, according to a Bay State commission that’s issuing recommendations for districts to address the growing issue.

The Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism is out with its initial findings and recommendations when it comes to K-12 education in the state.

This report comes months after commissioners grilled the head of the Massachusetts Teachers Association for the union’s “vile antisemitic” educational resources in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, a local school district is facing allegations that officials ignored antisemitic bullying and failed to protect Jewish students, as groups filed a federal civil rights brief with the Department of Education.

“Antisemitism in Massachusetts K-12 public schools is a pervasive and escalating problem, with a large number of reported incidents of hate, bullying, harassment and discrimination experienced by families and teachers,” the state commission wrote in its report.

“There has been a stark escalation of incidents in recent years, especially after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023,” the commission added. “Many Jewish students in Massachusetts schools are scared to publicly display their Judaism or let others know they are Jewish for fear of disparate treatment or bullying.”

These draft findings and recommendations will be discussed by commissioners during Wednesday’s hearing. The co-chairs of the commission are State Rep. Simon Cataldo and State Sen. John Velis.

Antisemitic hate crimes in Massachusetts are rising – by more than 20% last year – while overall violent crime is dropping in the state.

“Antisemitism is a unique type of hate that takes various forms and manifests in a variety of ways in Massachusetts K-12 schools,” the commission wrote. “These include, but are not limited to, swastika graffiti, Holocaust jokes or denial, harassment or discrimination based on perceived relationship to Israel or actual Israeli citizenship, and harassment directed towards Jewish individuals while using the term ‘Zionist’ as a replacement slur.”

Also, antisemitic incidents and hate crimes in schools are likely significantly underreported, they found.

“Many victims of antisemitic incidents do not report cases due to fear of retaliation and harassment or the sense that reporting an incident will not lead to any response by the school,” the commission wrote.

Among the commission’s recommendations are: supporting schools in implementing the Genocide Education Mandate; developing best practices around teaching antisemitism; establishing a statewide Bias Reporting Program that explicitly includes antisemitism as a form of bias; and instituting mandatory anti-bias education for K-12 teachers that includes antisemitism.

“School officials should make strong, clear statements that antisemitism is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, both at the start of each school year and regularly on other appropriate occasions, such as on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27 of each year,” the commission wrote.

“When an antisemitic incident occurs, school officials, particularly superintendents and principals, should speak out clearly, forcefully, and with specificity as to the type of hate, rather than using vague language around all forms of hate.”

_____