Boston Globe: State commission offers recommendations to curb antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools
The Concord-Carlisle public school system came under the ADL’s scrutiny in July when the organization said school district leaders “failed to protect Jewish students from pervasive antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.” Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
By Nick Stoico Globe Staff,Updated August 12, 2025, 7:16 p.m.
As the start of a new school year nears, a special state commission on antisemitism agreed last week to adopt a series of recommendations to prevent antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools, after a preliminary report by the commission found such incidents to be “a pervasive and growing issue” at Massachusetts schools.
The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism said it heard more than 35 hours of testimony over a series of public hearings and found that “many Jewish students feel afraid to openly express their identity or disclose their faith due to fear of mistreatment or bullying.”
The commission also found that students, teachers, and school leaders “often lack clarity on how to appropriately respond to such incidents.”
“It is my sincere hope that as our schools begin preparing for the new school year that they will look to the Commission’s report for helpful guidance to prevent and respond to hate,” state Senator John C. Velis, a Westfield Democrat who co-chairs the commission, said in a statement.
Antisemitic harassment, assaults, and vandalism have been on the rise across New England since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Such incidents surged at non-Jewish K-12 schools in Massachusetts in 2023 with 101 incidents reported, according to the ADL. That number fell to 50 last year.
Some schools have faced criticism for the timeliness and manner of their response.
The Concord-Carlisle public school system came under the ADL’s scrutiny in July when the organization said school district leaders “failed to protect Jewish students from pervasive antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.” Dr. Laurie Hunter, the superintendent for Concord-Carlisle, said the school district “does not tolerate antisemitic acts.”
The 18-member state commission’s final report on antisemitism in schools is due to be filed with the House and Senate by Nov. 30.
Among the recommendations adopted was a call for educating students about “antisemitic tropes and myths” that are often seen online as part of teaching digital literacy.
The commission also called for adding lessons during Jewish American Heritage Month that highlight Jewish contributions to the United States; implementing mandatory anti-bias training for educators that specifically addresses antisemitism; and expanding access to Kosher and Halal foods in schools.
The panel’s recommendations also urge the state to create a statewide bias reporting system that includes antisemitism as a form of bias, and to make changes to current curriculums to “provide age-appropriate, balanced classroom resources to teach about Ancient Israel, Palestine, modern Israel, and Middle East conflicts in alignment with state history and social science standards.”
“These recommendations offer a clear, actionable playbook for state and local school leaders to create safer, more inclusive learning environments,” said state Representative Simon Cataldo, a Concord Democrat who co-chairs the commission with Velis.
The commission’s preliminary report was hailed by state leaders, including Governor Maura Healey, who said her administration will work with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to review and implement the panel’s recommendations.
“If we want to combat antisemitism and protect the members of our Jewish community, it starts with educating our children, building a better understanding of the Jewish experience, and making it clear that antisemitism has no place in Massachusetts,” Healey said in the statement.
