According to the bill, “Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, or religion against a student or an employee of a public institution of education is prohibited.”
By Rachel Avraham
The Tennessee House of Representatives Education Committee approved a bill, known as HB 1188, to prevent antisemitic discussion in public schools, both in K-12 institutions and in public universities. According to the bill, “Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, or religion against a student or an employee of a public institution of education is prohibited.”
The bill also proclaimed, “A public institution of education shall prohibit antisemitic harassment or discrimination against students and employees, including discrimination resulting from a policy of the public institution of education or a program offered by the public institution of education that is conducted on the public institution of education’s campus or school grounds, in the same manner as the public institution of education applies to any other form of discrimination prohibited under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
According to the Combat Antisemitism Movement, “The legislation, sponsored by Representative Rusty Grills, defines antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, including its 11 contemporary examples. Companion legislation in the Tennessee Senate sponsored by Senator Paul Rose was passed by the Senate Education Committee in a unanimous 9-0 vote last week. The IHRA antisemitism definition was already adopted by Tennessee in 2022 via HB 2673, passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Bill Lee.”
They continued, “HB 1188 requires the integration of the definition into student, faculty, and employee codes of conduct or anti-discrimination policies. The bill also gives teeth to Title VI by directing the Tennessee Department of Education and each institution of higher education to designate a Title VI Coordinator to monitor, review, and investigate antisemitic complaints and incidents of discrimination, in public K-12 and post-secondary schools, and requires the coordinator to submit an annual report to the State Attorney General and the General Assembly.” The bill passed 15 to 3.
“Since October 7, 2023, there has been a disturbing surge in antisemitic activity across the United States, putting the safety of Jewish students and the broader Jewish community at risk,” David Soffer, representing the Combat Antisemitism Movement at the hearing in Tennessee, said. “Our K-12 schools, as well as college and university campuses, have become increasingly hostile environments, with incidents ranging from anti-Israel protests and demonstrations to physical harassment, intimidation, and even violence. Jewish students and faculty have faced threats, physical harm, and have been blocked from entering certain campus areas, contributing to an atmosphere of fear and division.”
“Passing HB 1188 will send a powerful message that Tennessee is taking proactive steps to protect its Jewish community,” he emphasized. “It will also demonstrate to the rest of the nation that Tennessee is committed to combating hatred in all its forms and ensuring the safety and dignity of all students, faculty, and staff.”
Jason Diebner, a Jewish student at the University of Texas, also testified before the committee, recalling his personal brushes with on-campus antisemitism in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre in Israel.
“Over the past year, simply expressing my Jewish identity — whether by wearing a yarmulke, a Star of David, an Israeli flag, or even just speaking Hebrew — has made my Jewish peers and I targets on campus,” he said. “After the horrific events of October 7th, any initial sympathy towards the Jewish campus community quickly faded. In its place came hostile protests, marked by blatant antisemitism, and attacks on the very existence of the State of Israel. College is supposed to be a time to focus on learning and building friendships. Instead, I’ve had to shift my focus to protecting my physical safety and defending my identity.”
HB 1188, he noted, would ensure “Jewish students, faculty, and staff — like all others — are respected, protected, and valued on campus.”
Photo from Antony-22: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives#/media/File:Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_2022f.jpg
