Jewish students and parents respond to antisemitism in US public schools before Oct. 7 anniversary
Ahead of the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, two right-leaning outlets describe Jewish public school students building alliances while, in New York, many families have moved children to Jewish schools citing antisemitism.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Jewish public school students in the US are approaching the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, and JNS reports that they are doing so with optimism after building alliances with non-Jewish classmates. JNSR “Jewish public school students in the United States are approaching the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel with optimism, after spending time building alliances with non-Jewish classmates” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1The North American Values Institute (NAVI) says it has been tracking "revolutionary youth" chapters coordinating Oct. 7 walkouts in multiple states, and that promotional materials include students burning an Israeli flag and expressing support for "Palestinian resistance." JNSR “The North American Values Institute has been tracking "revolutionary youth" chapters coordinating Oct. 7 walkouts in multiple states.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Students quoted by JNS describe responses to harassment: Mason Hunter Lang, 17, of New World School of the Arts in Miami, arranged for a Holocaust survivor to speak after classmates made Holocaust jokes, and his Jewish Student Union club now has 75 members, including non-Jewish students. JNSR “Lang, who is president of his school's Jewish Student Union club, responded to Holocaust jokes by arranging for a survivor to speak to students.”“His club now has 75 members, including non-Jewish students, he told JNS.” Read at JNS ↗
Right · 1Eva Rosen, 15, of Douglas Southall Freeman High School in Richmond, said her club plans to show a remembrance video on Oct. 7 and that most of its 30 attendees are not Jewish; she described being told in middle school that she should have died in the Holocaust. JNSR “Most of the 30 students who attend her club meetings aren't Jewish, she said.”“Rosen described harassment in middle school, including being told that she should have died in the Holocaust.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Rabbi Derek Gormin of Jewish Student Union, an NCSY program, said its clubs have grown from about 200 before Oct. 7, 2023 to 515 today. JNSR “its clubs have grown from about 200 before Oct. 7, 2023, to 515 today” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1NAVI's Sharon Sorkin said schools must treat Oct. 7 with historical accuracy and sensitivity rather than as an occasion for political activism, and advised parents to know what is planned and ask questions beforehand. JNSR “"Schools must ensure that Oct. 7 is treated with historical accuracy and sensitivity, not turned into an opportunity for political activism that leaves Jewish students feeling isolated or targeted," she said.” Read at JNS ↗
Right · 1The New York Post reports, based on its own review, that thousands of New York families have moved children from city public schools to yeshivas and day schools since 2023, citing antisemitism; parents quoted blame educators and classroom content. New York PostR “Thousands of families in New York have opted for the friendlier confines of yeshivas and day schools since the 2023 terror attack on the Jewish state” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Josh Horowitz, who left Williamsburg for upstate New York, said his daughter was shown videos claiming Israel was starving Palestinian girls with no context, and Natalya Murakhver said she removed two children from PS 87 in 2024; Deborah Uri said her son lost close friends at Townsend Harris High School after Oct. 7. New York PostR ““They’re shown videos that Israel was starving Palestinian girls,” said Josh Horowitz”“After Oct. 7, things changed at the school,” she said. “My son instantly lost his close friends.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1The Post cites figures: a Teach Coalition report found Jewish school enrollment in New York rose nearly 2%, about 3,100 students, in 2025-2026, and 4.2% from 2022 to 2025 versus 1.8% from 2019 to 2022; Prizmah's CEO Paul Bernstein said a survey found 60% of parents who enrolled children in Jewish schools would not have done so absent the war, and over half of them had left public schools. New York PostR “K-12 enrollment in Jewish schools in the state rose nearly 2% — roughly 3,100 students — in the 2025-2026 school year alone”“60% of parents who enrolled kids in their Jewish schools said they wouldn’t have done so if not for the three-year-old Hamas-Israeli war.” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1The Post also cites a July United Jewish Teachers report of at least 250 antisemitic or anti-Israeli incidents in New York City public schools since 2023, and describes controversies over Brooklyn teacher Damien Neva (spelled Nevin elsewhere in the article), who allegedly posted "Long live Yahya Al-Sinwar" in a 2024 Park Slope Food Coop Signal group according to a lawsuit, and over IS 181 teacher George Trim, accused of promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories. New York PostR “found that there had been at least 250 antisemitic or anti-Israeli incidents inside the city public school system since the 2023 terror attack on Israel”““Long live Yahya Al-Sinwar,” Neva said in a 2024 Signal group of anti-Israeli Park Slope Food Coop” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
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Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both right-leaning outlets centre antisemitism faced by Jewish students, but JNS leads with student resilience and coalition-building while the New York Post leads with flight from public schools and blame on teachers.
- Emphasis
- JNS: student voices, club growth, advice from NAVI. Post: parent testimonies, enrollment figures, individual teachers' alleged remarks.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither presents the views of school officials, teachers or the organisers of the walkouts; the Post does not mention student-led clubs, and JNS does not mention enrollment shifts. No left or centre outlets are included.
- Charged language
- “Hamas-loving”“horrific attack”“revolutionary youth”“the venom”“Jewish kids flee”
- For example
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“Jewish public school students in the United States are approaching the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel with optimism” — JNS
“Hamas-loving Brooklyn teacher Damien Neva is just the latest example of why thousands of Jewish parents to pull their kids from public schools.” — New York Post
What every side reports
- The third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel falls this week.
- Both outlets report Jewish students and families experiencing antisemitism in US public schools since the attack.
Where accounts differ
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Overall direction of Jewish students' experience in public schools
- Right
- JNS stresses optimism, alliance-building and growing Jewish clubs, while the New York Post stresses families fleeing public schools over worsening antisemitism.
North American Values Institute organisation
NAVI tracks youth-led Oct. 7 walkouts and urges Jewish students to be proud and informed, and schools to handle Oct. 7 accurately and without political activism.
“"Be proudly Jewish, know the facts and don't be intimidated into silence."” — JNS
Sharon Sorkin person
As NAVI's director of community relations, she says protecting students is an adult responsibility and advises parents to ask questions beforehand.
“Sorkin, of NAVI, said that protecting students is an adult responsibility.” — JNS
Damien Neva person
Described by the Post as a Brooklyn teacher who praised Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Al-Sinwar in a 2024 Signal group, per a coop-related lawsuit; his own response is not given.
““Long live Yahya Al-Sinwar,” Neva said in a 2024 Signal group of anti-Israeli Park Slope Food Coop” — New York Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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JNSR ·
Jewish public school students proactive ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
Sympathetic Presents Jewish students as proactive and optimistic, building alliances, while noting anti-Israel walkouts planned nationwide.
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Alarmist Portrays Jewish families fleeing New York public schools and blames teachers for fostering hate, using strongly charged language about a named teacher.
- 5 Oct 20:51 First JNSR Jewish public school students proactive ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
- 5 Oct 23:29 +2h 38m New York PostR Jewish kids flee NY public schools over Oct. 7 antisemitism, parents blame teachers for pumping up ‘the venom’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.