‘Rampant antisemitic abuse’ at Massachusetts schools, complaint states

Two public schools in Concord, Mass., are guilty of an “alarming pattern of antisemitic bullying, slurs, threats and retaliation,” leading at least one Jewish student to leave the Concord-Carlisle Regional School District “to escape the hostile climate,” according to a brief that the Anti-Defamation League and others filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s civil rights office on Monday.

The allegedly offending schools are Concord-Carlisle High School, which U.S. News & World Report ranks No. 20 among schools in the state and No. 539 nationally, and Concord Middle School, which the publication ranks No. 91 among middle schools statewide.

The school district “knowingly allowed its schools to become a hostile environment for Jewish students, and it has failed to promptly and effectively address this ongoing problem,” according to the 24-page filing from the ADL, Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the law firm Mayer Brown. (JNS viewed a partially redacted copy of the brief.)

The victim, identified as “Student A,” allegedly faced antisemitic bullying at the middle school, where students singled him and other Jewish students out and taunted them after the school taught students about the Holocaust in spring 2023.

After parents met six times with administrators, the school said it would separate Student A and the other Jewish students from the bullies, but “Student A found himself seated next to one of the students who bullied him the worst,” the brief states.

The middle school’s vice principal is accused of having “brushed off” the concerns of Student A’s parents and telling him that he could be removed from the district if he continued to report harassment.

After Student A came to Concord-Carlisle High School, he was subjected to “alarmingly frequent” antisemitic harassment, including being called the antisemitic slur kike, asked to show his “Holocaust tattoo” and having other student team names like “Team Hamas,” “Team Hitler,” “Team Auschwitz” and “Team Al-Qaeda,” according to the brief.

Student A’s parents met with administrators to address the matter in February 2024, but the high school’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging director claimed that the slur kike, widely seen as antisemitic, is actually “a microaggression,” according to the filing.

The administrator’s “response downplayed the antisemitism experienced by Jewish students and sent a message that the school does not take anti-Jewish harassment seriously,” the brief states.

When the school disciplined one of the bullies, it did so“haphazardly and after-the-fact” and made Student A a target for “snitching,” per the brief.

Student A was again subjected to alleged antisemitic bullying the following academic year, including being told “Go away Jew” and “No Jew boys—Jew boys go to Jew temple.”

The principal pulled two of the alleged bullies out of class “in front of everyone, leading classmates to assume that the two students were disciplined because of Student A,” causing the Jewish student to be called a snitch, per the filing.

In September 2024, administrators at the high school recommended that the Jewish student take classes virtually or via independent study, as the Jew-hatred continued. The student opted instead to transfer to a private school.

Per the filing, the high school has sent out two emails since Student A transferred—both of them allegedly delayed after the fact—about instances of swastika graffiti, which, according to the filing, “watered down” the symbol’s antisemitic meaning.

“While the filing focuses largely on one student, who was the target of the worst abuse, his was not an isolated case, and there is clear evidence that this was, and remains, a systemic issue,” Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the ADL, stated.

“There must be transparency in how the district responds to incidents, and it must adopt clear protocols to address antisemitism, provide guidance on reporting and response and promote education and awareness to prevent the spread of hate,” Joseph stated. “It’s clear that much work is needed for this district to become a place that truly protects its Jewish students.”

‘Set up for success’

Kenneth L. Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center and a former U.S. assistant secretary of education for civil rights, stated that “the relentless nature of these attacks is a clear sign of an environment of hate and fear, one where no student would be set up for success.”

“Concord-Carlisle officials blatantly ignored a striking pattern of antisemitism and prioritized the status quo over the safety of Jewish students,” Marcus stated. “We must hold schools accountable for the well-being of all students and for creating learning environments that are conducive to safety, learning and growth.”

Laurie Hunter, superintendent of the public school district, told JNS that the high school “does not tolerate antisemitic acts between its students.”

“Every report is fully investigated, and addressed swiftly and seriously. The schools have thorough response protocols, an anonymous reporting system, and ongoing training for students and staff,” Hunter stated. “The district has strong relationships with local Jewish faith leaders in multiple communities to align its efforts to fight antisemitism in the schools and the Concord community.”

She stated that the district is cooperating with the Education Department and is “always looking for feedback on how to enhance our policies, processes and programs.”

© JNS