Education

Biden Admin Unveils New Tools To Counter Antisemitism, Islamophobia In Schools

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The Biden administration announced new resources on Tuesday to counter antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools across the U.S. following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, according to a White House press release.

College students signed letters blaming Israel for the Hamas terrorist attacks and multiple student groups led pro-Palestinian protests with imagery associated with violence against Israel. The White House released a series of guides and resources to “help protect students, engage school and university leaders, and foster safe and supportive learning environments.”

The National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments released two sets of resources to help prevent antisemitism and Islamophobia, one of which is directed for P-12 schools and the other for colleges and universities, according to the press release. The resources for P-12 schools address how to counter antisemitism and Islamophobia, while the higher education resources also offer guidance on “cultivating tolerant, safe, and supportive campuses.”

The White House announced that senior education department officials will be holding sessions with P-12 school and university leaders this week “to glean key insights from the field about how some schools are keeping students safe,” according to the press release.

The White House also announced the ED’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will launch a webinar series to develop and share strategies to “help schools prevent and respond to hate-based threats, bullying, and harassment,” according to the press release. The webinar series will hold a session on “Creating a Welcoming Environment” on Dec. 6 and one on “Full Student Participation” on Dec. 13.

There will also be a webinar session on “Conflict Mediation” on Jan. 17 and one on “Ongoing Support” in February.

The University of Pennsylvania had to contact the FBI in November to investigate antisemitic threats made on campus after several Jewish faculty members received threatening emails regarding their “personal identities.” The emails led to safety checks at a Jewish religious center and residential hall on campus.

Jewish students at The Cooper Union, a college in New York City, hid in a library as pro-Palestinian protesters tried to breach the entrance in October. Video of the incident showed the students standing in the library, watching as the protesters banged on the locked doors and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans.

Harvard University, Columbia University and UPenn have implemented antisemitism task forces to address antisemitism on campus.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.