K-12 school leaders reject allegations that they let antisemitism run rampant

Kobie Talmoud, 16, left, a student at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Md., speaks with Karla Silvestre, President of the Montgomery Count (Md.) Board of Education, after a hearing on antisemitism in K-12 public schools, by the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Leaders of three large public school systems strongly denied allegations that they let antisemitism run rampant in their schools, telling a congressional panel Wednesday that they are fighting it with education and, when necessary, discipline.

As part of a series of hearings on antisemitism, a House Education and Workforce subcommittee sought testimony from leaders of the New York City Public Schools, the Berkeley Unified School District in California and the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.

“Let me be clear — we do not shy away from imposing consequences for hateful behavior, including antisemitism,” said Karla Silvestre, the board president of the suburban Maryland school system.