The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce sent a letter to Superintendent Michelle Reid on Nov. 24, notifying her that the committee will be investigating antisemitism in FCPS in order to help them determine if legislation to address antisemitic discrimination is needed. Led by Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, a U.S. representative from Michigan, the investigation is beginning with a request for documents, including a list of all complaints received by FCPS related to potential antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7, 2023. The letter provides a deadline of Dec. 8 for FCPS to comply with the request.
“The Committee is investigating antisemitism in [FCPS], including whether there was or is a hostile environment against Jewish K-12 students and whether FCPS is fulfilling its obligation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to end any harassment,” Walberg wrote in the letter. “FCPS has experienced significant antisemitic incidents even prior to the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel, [and] the Committee is deeply concerned that FCPS is failing to uphold its obligations under Title VI.”
The letter cites several incidents involving alleged antisemitism at various FCPS schools, including a pro-Palestine walkout that caused tension within the community, a Muslim Student Association (MSA) guest speaker posting antisemitic comments online and MSA members being accused of simulating the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, in social media posts.
“FCPS intends to fully cooperate with Congressman Walberg’s inquiry,” FCPS said in a public statement. “FCPS continues to partner with all families to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive school environment for all students and staff members.”
One concern cited in the letter was a pro-Palestine walkout at Woodson High School in the 2023-24 school year. A day before the walkout, Woodson’s principal emailed parents in the community to inform them about the upcoming walkout during the school day. In the email, the principal assured community members that there would be a designated safe space in the building for Jewish students during the walkout and that the walkout would be closely monitored by administrators. A parent replied to the email, stating that she would not be letting her child go to school that day due to “fear of any discomfort, alienation, any type of retaliation that he might suffer because he wears a Star of David necklace and people know that he is Jewish.”
“I think the principal was just offering to show that he’s here for everyone, and his intention was to raise inclusivity, not do the opposite,” said Aziza*, one of the walkout organizers. “I don’t think it’s valid to deem this walkout as antisemitic, because there was nothing at the walkout that insinuated harming Jewish families. There were also six Jewish students who held an Israeli flag as a counterprotest, with administrators stationed there so that no one messed with the students.”
This wasn’t the only challenge the protest brought to Woodson: a student was accused of being antisemitic due to her interview with the school’s newsmagazine.
“The girl didn’t use any trigger words; she just talked about the innocent children in Palestine. Yet, a website [posted] her personal information and sent death threats to her, her family and the principal,” Aziza said. “If anything, the most unsafe part of [the situation was] the death threats [they received].”
The committee’s letter identified issues with a guest speaker McLean’s MSA invited to talk to MSA members about the historical significance of Palestine during the 2023-24 school year. According to the committee’s letter, the guest speaker had posted a tweet that said, “I’m not racist, I love everyone. Except the [Jews],” as well as other antisemitic comments.
“We [only invited him] because we wanted to raise awareness about the importance of different causes, and we were glad to have him come and speak about the importance of Palestine and the history of over 70 years of [military] occupation,” said Junaid*, the event organizer.
Some Jewish students believe that the speaker should be held accountable for his comments.
“I think intention is definitely important, but if a person is inadvertently racist, then you’ve got to make sure that it doesn’t happen again,” said senior Noam Gottesman, a spokesperson for McLean’s Jewish Student Association.
The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) MSA video controversy was also included in the letter. TJ MSA members posted a video on their Instagram account based on a trend in which students are involved in a mock kidnapping after declining to attend a club meeting. The post received backlash from some individuals in the TJ community and the FCPS administration as it was seen as an imitation of the Oct. 7, 2023, kidnapping of Israeli people by Hamas. The incident resulted in eight of the TJ students receiving in-school suspensions.
“Our video being projected as anti-Zionist, which was not how it was supposed to be shown, and seeing actions taken upon us and accusations being placed on us shows how much they’re trying to [prevent] student voices from being heard,” said Qadir*, one of the students involved in the video.
The letter details multiple complaints from the Zionist Organization of America, including Jewish students allegedly getting bullied at several FCPS schools and Lewis High School refusing to remove a display with painted tiles, 40% of which featured swastikas and Nazi flags, until 2020. Other complaints include a school’s MSA distributing flyers that denied the existence of Israel and an FCPS school board member posting antisemitic comments online.
As the committee’s next step is uncertain, the letter has sparked concern among students.
“What’s happening right now is reflective of a very broad trend of attacking students’ rights to speak and stand up for a cause,” Junaid said. “The [Trump] administration cares about silencing American students, yet silencing the students will prevent them from upholding the future.”
*The names Aziza, Junaid and Qadir are pseudonyms used to protect the identities of former and current individuals in FCPS.*
