Trump Admin Vows to Combat Antisemitism in NYC Schools: A Closer Look

FIRST ON FOX: Back on January 29th, President Donald Trump issued an executive order targeting antisemitism, highlighting the surge in anti-Jewish incidents following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks. According to the order, this included "an unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism, and violence against our citizens, especially in our schools and on our campuses." I mean, who would have thought we'd be dealing with this level of blatant hate in 2025?

Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights and head of the Justice Department Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, told Fox News Digital that the president has directed his task force "to use every tool in our toolbox as Department of Justice to stop this antisemitic behavior."

He added that Attorney General Pam Bondi "has been following President Trump’s directive. … She has given me the green light to do everything possible and use the power of the federal government to stop this."

Terrell stated that since October 7th, Jewish Americans "have not been protected like other citizens" in schools and day-to-day life, including colleges and K-12 schools.

The New York Public Schools Alliance, a group of teachers, students, and administrators led by Karen Feldman, investigated alleged anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and anti-American bias in NYC public schools in October 2024.

The group's findings pointed to failures in protecting teachers and students from discrimination, biased educational materials, and a politically charged atmosphere that has "deepened divisions."

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Multiple sources cited the atmosphere at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island as particularly concerning.

New York City Council member David Carr reported that parents of Susan E. Wagner students expressed concerns about displays of hatred at the school’s International Festival in January. During the Israeli Student Club's performances, audience members allegedly shouted "Free Palestine."

Carr said there were additional antisemitic remarks made about the students before they took the stage during their final performance. Carr said the spectators "were escorted out of the venue and ... have been banned from returning for future events." Good riddance, I say.

A student from Susan E. Wagner High School, remaining anonymous, told Fox News Digital that the removed audience members yelled "stinky Jews" as the Israeli Club dancers went to the stage. The student didn't know the consequences for those involved, but school staff apologized to them while escorting them out.

Carr said he has "spoken to the school leadership, and we’re going to be talking again" with the goal of creating "an atmosphere where everybody feels comfortable." He added that "it clearly needs to be an ongoing conversation."

"It’s unacceptable that students be subjected to hate speech," Carr said. "Antisemitism is the most pernicious form of hate, I think, in human history," he explained. "It needs to be stood up to whenever it rears its ugly head."

The Susan E. Wagner student who shared their concerns with Fox News Digital said students have not only endured hate speech in their school, but multiple staff members have worn pro-Palestine paraphernalia. Though some teachers "never said anything" discriminatory, the student said that "you still know what they think." 

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Wagner administrators have also allegedly participated in programming that promotes a one-sided interpretation of the Israel-Gaza conflict. In April 2024, the Wagner Arab Student Association posted on Instagram that it hosted a "survivor of the ongoing genocide in Gaza" to speak to students, with teachers and Principal David Cugini present.

The student said that in an environment of anti-Israel sentiment, "[N]obody wants to say anything, because they’re so sure that nothing will get done. That’s what the school has done. It has pretty much shown these kids that no matter what you do … Jewish kids are just going to be at the bottom of the food chain."

Part of this silencing also appears to involve mislabeling reported incidents of antisemitic hate.

The New York City Public School Alliance showed Fox News Digital five New York City school occurrence reports that described acts of alleged anti-Israel or antisemitic hate reported by staff and students at a variety of public schools. Each was recorded as not being bias-related. 

Fox News Digital asked interim Superintendent Roderick Palton and Cugini about a number of the aforementioned incidents, the methods of recording antisemitic incidents and whether Jewish students have a safe learning environment at the Susan E. Wagner High School. They did not respond.

A New York City Department of Education spokesperson told Fox News Digital that New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) were taking part in training and workshops to "foster respectful and empathetic classroom conversation on difficult topics." The spokesperson mentioned that "our Hidden Voices curricular resources highlight the diverse communities and experiences of New Yorkers, including the AAPI community, LGBTQ community, Americans with Disabilities, and the Global African Diaspora. To meet this moment across our city, we are currently expanding Hidden Voices to include both the Jewish American and Muslim American communities."

The NYCPS Alliance report cites the Hidden Voices curriculum as containing lessons that "emphasize resistance to colonialism, oppression, and marginalization." The report says "the tendency to present incomplete or one-sided narratives may contribute to biased worldviews, potentially fostering a hostile learning environment for Jewish students. These materials raise concerns about whether the school is meeting its obligations to provide a harassment-free and inclusive environment for all students."

According to the schools' spokesperson, "[R]eligious bias incidents in our schools [are] down by 46% so far this year." The spokesperson explained that "we are working closely with this school to ensure that reports of anti-Semitism or other bias are swiftly investigated and consequences are imposed for any violations of our policies so that every student feels safe and respected in their school."

Feldman questioned the findings. "I find it interesting how they could assess [a] 46% decrease when they're not even logging the incidents of Jewish hate properly. They're not even logging it as biased incidents," she told Fox News Digital.

Feldman also expressed alarm at the environment at Susan E. Wagner, where administrators are "witness to the indoctrination and the twist of history" and the "fear, intimidation, [and] silencing tactics" that allow incidents to "go unreported or unresolved." 

"These kids are being guided poorly by their school. They’re not being supported. They feel alienated. They feel threatened," she said. While "it’s showing up as antisemitism now," Feldman warned that anti-Jewish prejudice is "an alarm system. It’s a warning sign that something is rotten in society."

Terrell noted several coming changes that will protect Jewish students and teachers who feel they are not being heard by their own schools. These include a "complaint number that is going to come directly to the task force" for victims of antisemitic prejudice.

"Help is on its way," Terrell said.

Fox News Digital reached out to New York City Mayor Eric Adams about the atmosphere of antisemitism in the city's public schools but received no reply.