The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced a resolution agreement with Howard County Public Schools in Maryland to address compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This agreement follows an investigation into allegations of antisemitic harassment within the school system.

During the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, OCR identified at least 28 incidents involving shared ancestry discrimination across 16 schools. These incidents included swastika postings, Nazi salutes, threats against Jewish students, and derogatory language. The school system acknowledged it did not assess whether these incidents created a hostile environment for Jewish students.

Additionally, specific instances were reported during school walkouts where Jewish students felt targeted. Despite having a First Amendment right to express views through such walkouts, the school system must ensure no hostile environment exists based on shared ancestry.

OCR also raised concerns about record-keeping practices related to these incidents. Documentation from community organizations highlighted various forms of antisemitic behavior that were not adequately addressed by the school system.

To resolve these issues, Howard County Public Schools agreed to several measures including issuing an anti-harassment statement, revising policies to address Title VI prohibitions on discrimination, training staff on handling complaints related to shared ancestry discrimination, and providing educational programs for students.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon stated: “By entering this resolution agreement, Howard County Public Schools commits to protecting students regardless of their national origin or shared ancestry so students can learn in an environment free from harassment that violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.”

The full resolution letter and agreement are available on OCR's website.