Berkeley Schools Chief Rejects Allegations of 'Pervasive' Antisemitism in Capitol Hill Testimony

The head of Berkeley public schools firmly denied accusations that antisemitism has become “pervasive” in her district, telling a congressional panel on Wednesday that any alleged incidents of discrimination were being proactively addressed through education, restorative justice and, when necessary, discipline.

“We take action to teach, correct and redirect our students,” Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel told members of a House Education and Workforce subcommittee.

Ford Morthel testified in Washington, D.C., alongside the leaders of the New York City Public Schools and the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland as part of a series of Republican-led hearings on antisemitism. The first such congressional hearing to focus on K-12 education, it comes amid a wave of pro-Palestinian student protests taking place at dozens of U.S. universities and a growing number of middle and high schools.

The tense hearing follows a series of similar inquiries into antisemitism on university campuses, the first of which, in December, contributed to the resignations of the presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, the testimony of Columbia University’s president last month precipitated weeks of escalated student protests that spread well beyond her campus.

In an opening statement on Wednesday, Rep. Aaron Bean, a Florida Republican who leads the subcommittee, said antisemitism has become a “dominant force” in America’s schools, with students as young as second-graders “spewing Nazi propaganda.”

“You’ve been accused of doing nothing and turning a blind eye,” he said.

All three district leaders took issue with that claim and repeatedly stressed their dedication to the education, well-being and safety of their students.

“We recognize the need to teach students to express themselves with respect and compassion,” said Ford Morthel, noting that her district approved a policy against hate speech last year.

“Our babies sometimes say hurtful things. We are mindful that all kids make mistakes,” she said. “We know that our staff are not immune to missteps either, and we don’t ignore them when they occur.”

Berkeley’s progressive school district came to the attention of conservative lawmakers in February when the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the Anti-Defamation League filed a federal complaint with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The groups alleged that Jewish students in Berkeley schools had been subject to “severe and persistent” discrimination, citing incidents of bullying and harassment, including one instance in which the phrase “Kill Jews” was found written in a high school bathroom. School leaders “knowingly allowed” a “viciously hostile” anti-Jewish environment and failed to respond to student and parent concerns, the complaint said.

The Brandeis Center, run by a former education department official under former President Trump, has filed similar complaints against several universities. It also sued the University of California and UC Berkeley officials in November over allegations of antisemitism on campus.

On Tuesday, the Office for Civil Rights announced it had opened a formal investigation into the Berkeley complaint — consistent with its ongoing investigations of similar complaints at New York City and Montgomery Public Schools. The cases center on whether the districts responded to harassment of students in a manner consistent with Title VI, which prevents harassment based on shared ancestry.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, Berkeley Unified has received complaints of antisemitism arising from nine incidents, said Ford Morthel, who has led the district for two years.

“We do not publish our actions because student information is private and legally protected under federal and state law,” she said. “As a result, some believe we do nothing. This is not true.”

Echoing a tactic from the previous hearings, Republican lawmakers peppered the school leaders with questions about what they consider antisemitic. Asked if the phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is antisemitic, all three generally said yes, though with some equivocation.

“It is if it is calling for the elimination of the Jewish people in Israel,” Ford Morthel said. “And I will also say that I recognize that it does have different meanings.”

In a letter to Berkeley families, sent out just before the start of Wednesday’s hearing, Ford Morthel acknowledged that reports of antisemitism in the district have increased since Oct. 7. But she reiterated that antisemitism was by no means pervasive in Berkeley schools.

“Antisemitic incidents in our schools are deeply concerning and unacceptable, as are incidents of Islamophobia, racism, homophobia, bullying, othering, and all forms of hate,” she said in the letter. “As a district, and a community, we stand against hate. This is a deeply held value in Berkeley. Every student deserves to be in schools that are nurturing, responsive, and safe.”

All three districts, in predominantly liberal areas, have diverse student populations and a sizable Jewish American community. All three have also seen student-led pro-Palestinian protests. The demonstrations, including several at Berkeley High and some middle schools in the district, have included walkouts during school hours, in which students have chanted certain phrases — including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” — that can mean widely different things to different people, and that some argue, cross the line into antisemitism.

Throughout the hearing, Republicans demanded tougher consequences for teachers and principals accused of antisemitism. They repeatedly confronted New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks over the case of a high school principal in his district who was reassigned but not fired after a chaotic student demonstration against a pro-Israel teacher.

Banks said it was “clearly an act of antisemitism,” and some students were suspended. The principal was removed from the school “for a lack of leadership” and moved to an administrative role, he said.

Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, questioned that outcome, saying, “We want results.”

“I’m hearing nice words, really nice words here: teaching, redirecting, directing,” Owens said. “What I’m missing is discipline, and I’m missing the word ‘fired.’”

Banks cited his district’s actions, including student suspensions and employee terminations. But he also emphasized the role of education, saying the district is building a new curriculum on the contributions of the Jewish community, along with separate lessons about hate crimes and bias.

“We cannot simply discipline our way out of this problem,” Banks said. “The true antidote to ignorance and bias is to teach.”

Karla Silvestre, the board president of Montgomery County Public Schools, described a similar approach in her suburban Maryland district. Classrooms have more lessons on the Jewish experience, and the district will now require “hate-based training” for all staff, she said, adding that teachers who don’t provide a safe learning environment “will not remain in Montgomery County public schools.”

“Let me be clear — we do not shy away from imposing consequences for hateful behavior, including antisemitism,” Silvestre said.

Pressed on firings and suspensions, Silvestre said Montgomery County has taken “disciplinary action” against some teachers, but none has been fired. Bean suggested that wasn’t good enough: “So you allow them to continue to teach hate,” he said.

Banks questioned whether the panel’s actions had brought schools any closer to addressing antisemitism on campuses.

“This convening feels like the ultimate ‘gotcha’ moment,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like people trying to solve for something we actually solve for.”

Speaking to reporters last week, Banks acknowledged that his district had not been perfect in handling issues in schools that have emerged since the start of the war in Gaza but that he was proud of how leadership had responded.

Banks seemed critical of how previous hearings were quickly reduced to viral moments and video clips.

“I fundamentally believe that if we truly care about solving for antisemitism, you don’t do it through cheap political theater and cheap soundbites,” he said. “Putting a spotlight on any particular individual and sometimes trying to create gotcha moments and viral moments is not how you ultimately solve problems you deeply care about.”

This story includes reporting from The Associated Press and KQED’s Sara Hossaini and Matthew Green.