> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Berkeley schools discriminated against Jewish students, state says - URL: https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2026/09/18/community/berkeley-schools-discriminated-jewish-students-state-says/ - Published: 2026-09-18T22:51:55.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-18T22:51:55.000Z - Description: California education officials ordered training and other changes at two Berkeley schools. - Author: Guest Contributor - Tags: Community, BHS, #articles *By Niva Ashkenazi | J. The Jewish News of Northern California* A Bay Area Jewish advocacy group is accusing Berkeley schools of failing to protect their Jewish students, citing two recent state rulings that found the district mishandled antisemitism complaints. The [Bay Area Center to Counter Antisemitism](https://www.counterantisemitism.org/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com) disclosed the rulings in a Sept. 10 press release, framing them as the latest evidence of a longstanding pattern at [Berkeley Unified School District](https://www.berkeleyschools.net/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com) and calling on the district to change course. "BUSD continues to fail to protect Jewish students in their religious and cultural identity," BUSD parent Stacey Zolt Hara, quoted in the release, said. "In refusing to enforce its own rules against hate and harassment when it comes to Jewish students, the district has created an unequal environment for Jewish kids that detracts from their educational experience and ability to learn." The [first ruling](https://jweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CDE-decision-re-BIS.pdf?ref=berkeleyscanner.com), issued Aug. 13 by the [California Department of Educatio](https://www.cde.ca.gov/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com)n, concerned posters in a Berkeley Independent Study classroom at Berkeley High School, including posters reading "Stop Israeli/US Genocide in Palestine!" and "Berkeley Educators for Palestine." ### [*RELATED: How to file a complaint about antisemitism in California public schools*](https://jweekly.com/2026/08/28/how-to-file-a-complaint-about-antisemitism-in-california-public-schools/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com) BUSD's own, earlier investigation following a parent complaint had found that the posters were one-sided but not discriminatory. The CDE reversed that finding, ruling that the posters, taken together, created a discriminatory classroom environment and ordered training for all Berkeley Independent Study teaching staff. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/2026/09/cde-signs-1.jpg) Pro-Palestinian posters displayed on the wall of an independent study classroom at Berkeley High School in April. **Courtesy BUSD parent* The [second ruling](https://jweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CDE-decision-re-MLK-Jr.-Middle-School.pdf?ref=berkeleyscanner.com), issued Aug. 17, involved separate assemblies at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, one hosted by the Jewish Student Union, the other by the South and Southwest Asia and North Africa, or SSWANA, club. The latter assembly included references to "Palestinian genocide," used maps omitting Israel and ended with students chanting "Free Palestine" while waving flags and displaying kaffiyehs. It was found to have violated district policy. BUSD's own investigation concluded that the SSWANA assembly "[unlawfully discriminated on the basis of a protected characteristic](https://jweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CDE-decision-re-MLK-Jr.-Middle-School.pdf?ref=berkeleyscanner.com)." State education officials upheld that conclusion but faulted staff for not intervening to stop the chant from recurring across additional assemblies and ruled that BUSD's proposed remedy was too vague. The CDE ordered a schoolwide lesson, administrator training and a new assembly-review policy. BUSD officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. [Update: Questions raised amid student walkout for GazaReaders said the pro-Palestine protest march stopped at a nearby Jewish community center where young children were present.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/icon/The-Berkeley-Scanner_Icon_Color-1dad860e-97f3-4268-a5f2-80405fdae16a.jpg)The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2024-05-10-at-4.57.20-PM-14bf7dc1-047a-4ea4-b056-71e241a785d8.jpg)](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2024/05/11/community/berkeley-school-antisemitic-graffiti-student-walkout-gaza/) Other incidents at the school have also alarmed members of the local Jewish community. In spring 2024, an antisemitic statement was found scrawled on a classroom whiteboard at the school on the same day that students participated in a pro-Palestinian walkout, [J. reported at the time](https://jweekly.com/2024/05/13/threatening-incidents-surround-berkeley-middle-school-walkout-for-palestinians/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com). The statement included a student's name and read "\[Name\] hates Jews" and "We stand with \[name\]." The state rulings come as a group of Berkeley High parents continue to press administrators over an [image published in the most recent yearbook](https://jweekly.com/2026/07/14/yearbook-image-justifying-oct-7-attack-prompts-investigation-at-berkeley-high/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com) that they say justified the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. "We want nothing more than for district leaders to bring change instead of constantly disregarding parents' concerns about harm to students," BACCA executive director Adina Danzig Epelman said in a statement. **This story was** [**originally published**](https://jweekly.com/2026/09/11/state-rules-berkeley-schools-discriminated-against-jewish-students-mandates-training/?ref=berkeleyscanner.com) **by J. The Jewish News of Northern California and has been reprinted with permission. © 2026\. All rights reserved.** ## Related coverage [Amid rising antisemitism, Berkeley Jews hold safety forum″ We know what’s happening. We all feel it,” said Teresa Drenick of American Jewish Committee, an organizer of the event.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/icon/The-Berkeley-Scanner_Icon_Color-7dabbb72-5405-4479-befe-d253c57059e8.jpg)The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3373-6444d5e9-d82c-4778-9317-a8eb8ac188b4.jpg)](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2025/07/22/community/amid-rising-antisemitism-jews-in-berkeley-hold-forum-on-safety/) [Antisemitic graffiti has been appearing at UC Berkeley housing complex“Hateful” messages have been “plastered in and around the University Village student-family housing complex” in Albany, officials said this week.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/icon/The-Berkeley-Scanner_Icon_Color-e332954c-5e9a-46cc-a349-a76ea8e66ca8.jpg)The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1809-b384d65a-6bbd-4d89-9eaa-998b5e94912a.jpg)](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2025/11/26/uc-berkeley-crime/police-investigate-antisemitic-graffiti-uc-berkeley-housing-albany/) [Antisemitic hate crime, hate incidents reported in BerkeleyBerkeley police and local officials have expressed strong concerns. Investigations are ongoing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/icon/The-Berkeley-Scanner_Icon_Color-b57d4564-a370-4ee2-9577-90faae2b9f1b.jpg)The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8e/3b/8e3bb516-9b88-46c2-aa85-566ed9c3647c/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-1-1-94d276a9-9460-40bc-a9a4-3e1a3e33c3cf.jpg)](https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2024/08/27/crime/berkeley-antisemitic-hate-crime-hate-incident-reports/) ## Sign up for The Berkeley Scanner Authoritative public safety and politics news coverage in Berkeley, CA Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.