Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven has joined a group of senators urging the U.S. Department of Education to protect Jewish students in K-12 schools from harassment, discrimination, and abuse. This call to action comes in response to a rise in antisemitic incidents within these educational institutions. In 2022, there were 494 reported cases of antisemitism in non-Jewish K-12 schools, marking a 49 percent increase from the previous year.

The senators expressed their concerns in a letter stating: “We are deeply concerned that the Department of Education is not ensuring American K-12 schools are fostering a safe learning environment for all students following the terrorist organization Hamas’ violent attack on civilians, including Americans and Israeli citizens.” They emphasized that parents should be confident about their children's safety at school and criticized school officials who may be contributing to anti-Semitic rhetoric.

The letter also highlighted the responsibility of school officials to maintain a secure environment: “America’s K-12 schools must be a safe learning environment for all students. School officials are supposed to be the adults in the school building. They should be setting an example for our students and ensuring a safe learning environment rather than undermining it…Some schools seem unwilling or unable to uphold their legal obligations under Title VI. Therefore, the Department should use its full resources to enforce the law.”

This initiative was led by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) alongside Hoeven. It was co-signed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other senators including Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch(R-Idaho), Rick Scott(R-Fla.), Dan Sullivan(R-Alaska), John Thune(R-S.D.) Thom Tillis(R-N.C.) Tommy Tuberville(R-Ala.) and Roger Wicker(R-Miss.). The full text of the letter is available for public reading.