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New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks said at a Congressional hearing Wednesday that the district has fired, disciplined or is in the process of disciplining at least a dozen teachers and school leaders for alleged anti-Semitism. .
“Keeping schools safe is in my DNA,” Banks testified at a hearing before the House Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee. “We believe that when anti-Semitism rears its head, we must respond. And we did.”
Banks said discipline against teachers includes firing principals midway through the school year. He added that New York City Public Schools has suspended at least 30 students, referred them to the New York City Police Department as appropriate, and re-educated all 1,600 principals on discipline rules.
Banks added that simply suspending students and faculty will not solve the problem, stressing the importance of community engagement and education.
“The real antidote is teaching,” he said.
Banks' testimony highlighted a two-hour shooting of leaders of three school districts in the liberal city in an alleged anti-Semitic incident. This was the first Congressional hearing focused on K-12 schools.
The hearing gave Republicans an opportunity to confront New York City officials. Berkeley, California. In Montgomery County, Maryland, for reports of anti-Semitism in the district.
It's no coincidence that the witnesses at Wednesday's hearing represent liberal urban school districts. Republicans are trying to score political points by attacking “woke” policies they say condone hate speech.
Another House committee planned to hold a hearing on reports of anti-Semitism on George Washington University's campus. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pam Smith were previously scheduled to testify about the response to encampments on campus. But the commission canceled the hearing after that encampment was cleared on Wednesday morning and police arrested dozens of people.
Lawmakers at the hearing specifically focused on an incident that occurred last fall at Hillcrest High School in Queens, where a pro-Israel teacher reportedly hid for hours from hundreds of protesting students. The bank condemned the incident.
“I condemn it unequivocally. What happened at Hillcrest is an act of complete anti-Semitism. It doesn't apply to me on my watch,” Banks said. “We complied. And I don't know how to make it any clearer either.”
Banks, a graduate of Hillcrest College, said he was removed as principal at the school and was not transferred to lead another school. But New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik clashed with Banks over the fact that her chief of staff had been reassigned but not fired.
Citing local media reports, Stefanik said the principal at Hillcrest High School in Queens was given a senior position and worked on a team led by the district's vice president. Banks said he could not confirm the former principal's current role, but acknowledged that the principal had been ousted but reassigned elsewhere in the district. He testified that he was dismissed because the principal failed to provide proper supervision.
“It's concerning to me that you're putting him in a senior position,” Stefanik told Banks. “We are paying lip service, but there is a lack of enforcement and accountability.”
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-New York, also criticized Banks for not firing the principal.
“How can Jewish students feel safe in New York City public schools when they can't even fire the principal of Open Season on Jewish High School?” Williams asked Banks during a heated exchange. Ta. “How can a Jewish student go to school knowing he’s still getting paid?”
The bank explained that all employees have a right to due process and stressed that it is taking all steps to ensure the safety of teachers and students.
“We don't always get it right,” Banks admitted.
In response to questions from lawmakers, Banks said Hillcrest High School was not “radicalized.”
“But the children who were responsible… clearly engaged in anti-Semitic acts. And I addressed that,” he said, “suspending the students and removing the principal from the school.” Stated.
“A Jewish teacher was targeted in a horrific incident. We did not accept that. We promoted it in a big way,” he said.
Stefanik also questioned Banks about allegations that students marched in the hallways of Origins High School in Brooklyn chanting “Death to the Jews.”
Banks said the investigation found no evidence of chanting in the hallway, but said what the investigation uncovered was “very disturbing” and many students at the school were suspended. He pointed out that he had received it.
Banks said he could not provide details about what happened at Origins because the case is under litigation.
He also noted that another school's principal was disciplined for assigning teachers to accompany students to anti-Israel protests. Banks said the conduct was “completely inappropriate” and the principal and teacher were disciplined but not fired.
The hearing comes a day after the U.S. Department of Education said in a letter seen by CNN that it is investigating California's Berkeley Unified School District over allegations of discrimination based on common Jewish ancestry and Israeli citizenship. It was conducted.
The department's Civil Rights Division will investigate whether the school district complied with Title VI requirements that prevent discrimination and harassment, according to a copy of the letter sent to the Anti-Defamation League and the Brandeis Center. The department is also investigating whether the Berkeley district retaliated against two parents who complained of harassment based on their Jewish ancestry.
CNN has reached out to the school district for comment. The Department of Education referred the inquiry to a list of schools currently under investigation regarding common ancestry claims. However, that list does not currently include the Berkeley School District.
A complaint filed by the Brandeis Center details dozens of incidents at Berkeley, including chants of “Kill the Jews,” “Jews,” and “KKK.” This includes students who are said to be
Enikia Ford Motel, superintendent of California's Berkeley Unified School District, testified Wednesday that there are allegations of anti-Semitism within the district, but denied the problem is widespread.
“Our babies say hurtful things sometimes. We keep in mind that all children make mistakes,” Ford Motel said of the students. “We know that our staff is not immune to mistakes either. And when they happen, we don't ignore them.”
Ford Morsell told lawmakers that nine incidents in the school district since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel have resulted in formal charges alleging anti-Semitism.
“But anti-Semitism is not pervasive in the Berkeley Unified School District,” she said.
Ford-Motell said it will not share any actions the district has taken against students or teachers because this information is protected by federal and state law.
“As a result, some people believe we're not doing anything. That's not true,” she said.
Ivy League school presidents have also been brought before Congress for grilling about anti-Semitism on campus. The presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania were ousted after hearings in December.