Resources for countering antisemitism and Islamophobia

Tools to Tackle Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Discrimination and Bias

• Equity Assistance Centers
  Technical assistance centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education provides guidance through four regional equity assistance centers and the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE). Equity Assistance Centers provide technical assistance and training, upon request, in the areas of race, sex, national origin, and religion to public school districts and other responsible governmental agencies to promote equitable education opportunities. NCSSLE is releasing two collections of specialized resources designed to help educators, students, parents, and community members keep students safe from antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of discrimination. One collection is designed for P-12 schools and the other for institutions of higher education.
• Webinar series
  On Dec. 6, 2023, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will launch a webinar series for P-12 school personnel and community-based organizations to develop, strengthen, and share evidence-informed strategies that help schools prevent and respond to hate-based threats, bullying, and harassment. The webinar series kicks off with a session on "Creating a Welcoming Environment" on Dec. 6, followed by webinars on "Full Student Participation" on Dec. 13, "Conflict Mediation" on Jan. 17, and "Ongoing Support" in February.
• Free to Learn conference
  Earlier this year, the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships hosted a conference entitled, "Free to Learn: Inclusion, Rights, and Accommodations for Students of All Faiths and None," in person and livestreamed, for educators, administrators, and community leaders. The conference featured multiple tracks, including sessions on civil rights protections at educational institutions and Jewish and Muslim students' experiences of discrimination. Resources related to the Department-wide Free to Learn initiative can be found here. More information from the CFBNP can be found on its landing pages on countering antisemitism and countering Islamophobia.

Protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

• Legal obligations under Title VI for PreK-12 schools
  On November 7, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a Dear Colleague letter reminding PreK-12 schools and institutions of higher education of their legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) to provide all students, including students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian, a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.
• Discrimination complaint form
  OCR also recently released an updated complaint form specifying that Title VI's protection from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin extends to students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh, or based on other shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. This update will help individuals understand how to file a Title VI complaint. Anyone who believes that a school has discriminated against a student based on race, color, or national origin can file a complaint of discrimination with OCR. The person who files the complaint does not need to have been the target of the alleged violation, but could be a family member, or faculty, staff, or any other concerned community member who is aware of possible discrimination.
• Technical assistance and training
  OCR is available to provide technical assistance through trainings to school communities as well as community organizations regarding Title VI, including its application to Jewish and Muslim students and its coverage of certain forms of antisemitic and Islamophobic discrimination. OCR welcome requests for training which can be submitted to OCR@ed.gov
• Civil Rights Data Collection will include allegations of harassment or bullying based on religion
  OCR will continue to collect data on allegations of harassment or bullying based on religion, as it has since the 2013-14 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). For the 2021-22 CRDC, schools will be required to report allegations of harassment or bullying based on 14 categories of a student's perceived religion, including Judaism and Islam. OCR will begin collecting data from public schools serving students in preschool through grade 12 for the 2021-22 school year in December 2023.