>> [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> ladies and gentlemen,, a very good morning. welcome to your nation's capital.ni

the subcommittee on early childhood, elementary, and secondary education will come to order. a quorum is present. without objection the chairs authorized to call a recess at any time. the holocaust ended in 1945. 1945. the hate behind it has not. andan anti-semitism is repugnant in all its forms but the topic of today's hearing is particularly troubling. it's hard to grasp how anti-semitism has become such a dominant force in our k-12 schools. some kids as young as second-grade are spewing nazi propaganda which begs the question, who has position these young minds toac attack the jewh people? the very need for this hearing is travesty. the aftermath of october 7 as revealed some of the ugliness most deprived ideas. once marginalized fromri polite society and education sets must fail to stop it. it's such as anti-israel.

it's anti-american. rait's anti-democracy. our witness today represent, three of her witnesses represent some of the largest school districts in the nation where there's been some bio anti-semitism in their districts. just a few minutes ago we heard from students, parentsfr and evn a teacher who said this is happening without appropriate or in responsee at all. jewish students in their districts fear riding the bus, wearing -- just eating and breathing as a jewish student. today we get her from the leaders of these districts to tell us what are you doing, what are they doing to keep students safe? new york city, and adjustment mr. banks, home of theth most largest vibrant jewish community and nation so stories out of in your public schools are

harrowing. reports we have service students marched to the hall disrupting class, chanting kill the jews. once it was called country caught on security camera teachers walls n one week. anti-semitism within montgomery county public schools, and it's close to home it's just 15 miles from here. mc ps has been home to student walkouts featuring calls to kill the jews, bring hitler back and what's worse, the administrators approved excused absences for the walkouts in violation of the district policy and finally berkeley, unified school district thrust into the national spotlight and perhaps the most public fashion of the group, the allegations are most serious. while not exhausted, the details of the beast includes kids playing nazi salute songs to their jewish classmates.

what are you doing to keep students safe and how can we stop this? you've been accused of doing nothing and turning a blind eye. we are going to give you a chance to say exactly what you're doing and what are you doing to keep students safe. middle and high school students or hard enough. it's hard enough being a kid in middle and high school without the added fear of being jewish. i can hardly fathom sending one of my suns to school knowing he will be exposed to the vile discrimination, yet parents are faced every day with this struggle. it doesn't have to be this way. this is the moment for all of us to take a stand against hate, the indoctrination of the next generation of future leaders and with that i yield to the ranking member for her opening statement. >> thank you very much mr. chairman. there is no question we must do more to combat anti-semitism not just in schools, but everywhere.

we must do more to protect jewish students into jewish americans who are threatened and harassed and attacked because of who they are. every student deserves to feel safe and be safe at school. at the same time we must do more to address the rise in islam a phobia and other forms of discrimination and hate as well. i've said many times i hope the committee can work together on ways to address the scourge of anti-semitism, and i will express that again today that we seek solutions that recognize the seriousness and scope of the challenge, the importance of keeping students safe at school, and the need to balance the civil rights of students to be free from discrimination under title vi of the civil rights act with the first amendment right to free speech and expression. this is the education committee, and i hope that we will discuss the important role of education and importantly prevention. in fact, at the top of the list on the biden administration's

u.s. national strategy to combat anti-semitism is to increase school-based education about anti-semitism including the holocaust into jewish american heritage. anti-semitism is not a new problem. the adl, the anti-defamation league has been working on it for decades and in fact they have a center for anti-semitism research. the american jewish committee has an action plan with a toolkit for public school administrators. lesson plans and other teaching materials are widely available through organizations like the u.s. holocaust memorial museum. like new york and several other states, my home state of oregon requires holocaust and genocide study with age-appropriate curriculum available. i remember my late friend holocaust survivor in his 80s and 90s told his story of survival to hundreds of audiences and universities, colleges, middle schools and high schools, places of worship, prisons and clubs. personally and through his book

from a name to a number that is the kind of unforgettable education that makes a difference and may his memory be a blessing. i also want to emphasize that it's important for leaders to stand up to anti-semitism no matter where it comes from. many of my colleagues claim to care about the rise in this country but when they march in charlottesville virginia with burning porches into chanting jews will not replace us, the president at the time, donald trump, said there were very fine people on both sides. one of the participants that unite was nick fuente a vile anti-semite who among other statements denied of the scope of the holocaust while comparing jews exterminated in concentration camps to cookies being baked man oven. former president trump posted him in november of 22. general john kelly who served as then president