A new report released by United Jewish Teachers claimed the majority of antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents documented in New York City public schools involved direct acts of harassment, vandalism, and threats.
The research, conducted by the United Jewish Teachers, tracked hundreds of hostile incidents occurring across the school system from October 2023 through July 2026.
According to the findings, the vast majority of cases involved direct actions against individuals and property. Direct actions such as verbal harassment, physical threats, assaults, and hate symbols like swastikas account for 64.8% of the total documented cases.
Biased teaching and instructional materials represented 23.2% of incidents, while disruptive events such as walkouts, protests, and student exclusions comprised 9.6%, with staff actions and online posts making up the remaining 2.4%.
The incidents span across all five boroughs of New York City, with certain areas seeing a much higher proportion than others. Brooklyn accounted for the largest share of the recorded incidents at 36.8%, followed by Queens as the second-highest area at 27.2%, Manhattan made up 24.8%, the Bronx accounted for 8.8%, and Staten Island represented the smallest share at 2.4%.
'Jewish students and educators cannot afford another year of the same'
The report outlined several key recommendations for district leadership, including the formal adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, mandatory NYPD investigations before hate graffiti is removed, transparent public incident tracking, and a system-wide curriculum review to eliminate biased or demonizing narratives about Israel and Jewish people.
Alongside the report’s release, United Jewish Teachers president Moshe Spern shared an accompanying video on social media which documented the climate inside schools. Spern said in the video, “I am releasing a report on antisemitism that has happened in New York City schools over the last three years. The goal is for accountability and how to counteract the rising tide of antisemitism. We want to make sure that every Jewish student, faculty, and parents feel supported.”
Spern also said in a statement to the Jerusalem News Syndicate, “With antisemitism rising across New York City and a new school year about to begin, this report could not come at a more critical moment.”
Spern further stated, “Before students return to classrooms, New York City Public Schools must adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, require immediate NYPD investigation of all hate graffiti, establish transparent public tracking of incidents and hold leadership accountable.”
“Jewish students and educators cannot afford another year of the same,” Spern added.