U.S. Jewish Groups Warn Trump’s Education Cuts Threaten Fight Against Antisemitism
Originally published by Haaretz
March 21, 2025
By Ben Samuels
Liberal Jewish organizations in the U.S. strongly condemned the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the Department of Education, warning of far-reaching consequences on fighting antisemitism.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which investigates antisemitism in schools, is among the divisions affected by the executive order.
While the order made no exception for the office, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she would explore relocating it under the Justice Department, which has led the administration’s efforts to investigate antisemitism—primarily in cases involving pro-Palestinian protests.
“The executive order did not specify what happens with any of the departments within education,” McMahon said, “so we are looking at where best those departments can be located. The Department of Justice already has a civil rights office, and I think that there is an opportunity to discuss with Attorney General Bondi about locating some of our civil rights work there.”
“The Trump Administration’s persistent attacks on American public education are going to strip support for disadvantaged schools, students with disabilities, and students facing discrimination and unequal treatment – including Jewish students facing antisemitism,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami.
“Now is not the time to be abandoning federal protections for students on campus. It’s a core Jewish and American value that every child should have the freedom to access education and build a life better than that they were born into-no matter who they are or where they’re from,” he added.
Jewish Council for Public Affairs CEO Amy Spitalnick warned that “President Trump simply does not have the authority to unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education – which will undermine the rights of students across the country without effective federal oversight and coordination. It will inevitably lead to more discrimination, posing a direct threat to the safety of Jewish – and so many other – students.”
“By dramatically cutting – and now seeking to shutter – the DOE’s Office of Civil Rights, which investigates questions of campus safety and civil rights, this administration is abandoning our students. No other agency can effectively play the same role.”
National Council of Jewish Women CEO Sheila Katz called on every member of Congress to use all tools at their disposal to prevent the department’s closure, adding “this is not just a test for Congress; it is a test for all of us. When power goes unchecked, we all lose. Now is the time for every one of us to speak out, demand accountability, and fight for the future of our children and our democracy.”