Recent ADL data reveals a concerning reality for Jewish families considering independent K-12 schools. According to ADL research, 45.3% of surveyed independent school parents reported their children experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism in school since October 7, 2023. With antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools spiking by 434% since 2020, it's crucial for Jewish families to ask the right questions when evaluating potential schools.
This resource provides questions that can help you make more informed decisions about where to apply and ultimately enroll your child. Please keep in mind that schools are dynamic. If you receive an answer that feels like the school is falling short, consider a follow up question to identify if that is an area where the school is prioritizing improvement. The ultimate goal is to ask questions that will help you ensure as much as possible that your child attends a school committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment where Jewish students – and all students – can thrive.
We provide two categories of questions: General inquiries before the application process and more direct and targeted questions to raise after your child is accepted. Select several questions to pose to school leaders or parent ambassadors that will help you better understand, as a prospective parent who knows your family best, the school’s policies, priorities and culture.
Questions to Ask Before Applying to a K-12 Independent School
The questions below are designed to gather information about prospective schools as you consider best options for your family. It's important to approach these conversations with curiosity as opposed to taking on an accusatory tone. We encourage parents to select a few questions per category.
School Culture
- How does your school approach belonging and inclusion across the school and within individual grades or divisions? What specific student populations do these efforts encompass?
- What are your school's procedures for addressing bias incidents when they occur?
- How does the school handle religious accommodations for students of different faiths?
- What student clubs and organizations are active on campus?
Curriculum and Content
- Does your curriculum include Holocaust education? At what grade levels?
- How does the school approach teaching about geo-political conflicts and current events?
- What resources does the school use to ensure balanced, accurate historical content?
- What opportunities exist for students to engage in civil discourse about complex or controversial topics?
Leadership and Training
- What training do faculty and staff receive regarding cultural competency and bias prevention?
- What resources are available if a student experiences bias, harassment, or discrimination?
Questions to Ask After Acceptance (Before Signing Contract)
Once your child has been accepted, it is valuable to review the school’s website and student-parent handbook to learn specifics about their policies and priorities. You can request a copy of the student-parent handbook if it is not publicly available as part of your due diligence.
After familiarizing yourself with these school resources, you can follow up with some of the following questions to gain a clearer sense of the school’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive environment for Jewish students. Be sure to pose your questions with curiosity, not combativeness, as the enrollment process is the beginning of what should be a positive, trusting parent-school partnership.
Policies
- Is antisemitism specifically addressed in your school’s non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies? How?
- Do your school’s policies have a clear definition of antisemitism? Do you use the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism?
- What is your school’s protocol for investigating and addressing reports of antisemitism? How is it communicated to staff? Students?
- What are the possible disciplinary consequences for antisemitic harassment?
- Has your school had antisemitic incidents in the past? Can you please provide some examples of how the school responded.
Curriculum and Content
- How do you ensure that educational materials related to Jewish history, Israel and the Middle East are factually accurate and balanced?
- What process do you have for vetting curricular materials to prevent antisemitic bias?
- How do you train teachers to recognize and address antisemitic content or bias in classroom discussions?
- Are Jewish perspectives included in your diversity and inclusion programming? How?
Leadership and Training
- Do faculty, staff and administrators receive training about contemporary manifestations of antisemitism? What types of training?
- Is there a specific administrator, committee, or office/department responsible for addressing antisemitism?
- How does school leadership demonstrate its commitment to combating antisemitism?
- Are you aware of these six best practices for Independent K-12 Schools to support Jewish students? Have you implemented any of them? If so, which?
School Culture
- What specific measures are in place to ensure Jewish students feel welcomed and included in your school?
- How does the school accommodate Jewish holidays and religious observances? Can homework be assigned on those days?
- Is antisemitism awareness incorporated into student orientation or education programming? How?
What to Observe for Additional Follow-Up
Be aware of and consider additional follow-up if you observe:
- Reluctance to define antisemitism or use established definitions.
- Dismissive responses about the need to address antisemitism in non-discrimination and harassment policies.
- Lack of clear protocols for addressing bias incidents.
- Unwillingness to discuss or provide examples of past responses to incidents (Note: Schools may be limited in how much they can share to protect student privacy.).
- Absence of Jewish perspectives in diversity and inclusion programming.
- Inability to articulate how they ensure the accuracy of curriculum and instruction about Jewish topics or Israel.