Virginia district responds to federal antisemitism investigation alleging failure to uphold Title VI obligations

A Virginia district has promised to assist with a federal inquiry by the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce probing “significant antisemitic incidents” at its schools.

U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, the committee’s chairman, announced the investigation in a letter describing the district’s Title VI obligations to “maintain a safe learning environment,” which includes “the obligation to promptly address discrimination.”

“Considering the repeated allegations of antisemitic discrimination in FCPS, the Committee is requesting documents to assess FCPS’ compliance with Title VI and determine whether legislation to specifically address antisemitic discrimination is needed,” Walberg wrote in a Nov. 24 letter to the district. 

The district announced it will “fully cooperate with Congressman Walberg’s inquiry” in providing documentation by Dec. 8 regarding several incidents to the committee, the Virginia Mercury reported. 

“Requested records include an anonymized chart of antisemitism complaints since Oct. 7, 2023, and corresponding FCPS actions; all FCPS communications since Oct. 7 related to Jews, Judaism, Israel, Palestine or Zionism; and all contracts or agreements since Jan. 1, 2022, that reference those subjects.” 

Two other districts besides FCPS – California’s Berkeley Unified School District and Pennsylvania’s School District of Philadelphia – received separate letters from the committee as part of its investigation, according to the Virginia Mercury. 

Historical pattern of anti-Israel speech 

The committee’s letter noted antisemitic incidents “even prior to the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel,” where Jewish students reported other classmates making the “Heil Hitler” salute and throwing coins at them. 

“Another school for years allegedly refused to remove a hallway display that included painted tiles, 40 percent of which featured swastikas and Nazi flags,” Walberg noted. 

One of the district’s high schools had hosted a speaker through its Muslim Students’ Association chapter who made “grotesque antisemitic statements,” including, “Never met a Jew who didn’t have a huge nose,” according to the letter. 

“In addition, one of FCPS’ own school board members repeatedly posted antisemitic messages online – using accounts that identified her as a member of the school board – including statements such as ‘Israel doesn’t exist.’” 

As previously reported by The Lion, a more recent antisemitic incident occurred in October where high school students posted videos on social media showing kidnapping, hostage-taking and other acts of violence against Jews. 

“Fairfax County Public Schools has a long history of struggling with school-based antisemitism,” said Guila Franklin Siegel, chief operating officer for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. 

“We appreciate Superintendent Michelle Reid’s sincere commitment to making FCPS a more welcoming and inclusive environment for Jewish students and families. However, the school system’s slow and nontransparent response to several recent incidents demonstrates that FCPS must do more to properly address such behavior.”