Jewish students are often the ones affected by antisemitism, according to news headlines and these students’ experiences. But what about their parents?
Although some parents have filed civil rights complaints on behalf of their children and have met with school administrators or principals, other parents may not know how best to respond to antisemitic incidents at their child’s school.
The American Jewish Committee Washington office partnered with the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington to host a D.C.-area parent summit on Feb. 9. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the summit aimed to teach advocacy skills and strategies to navigate and combat antisemitism in kindergarten through 12th grade schools.
“Parents are really in the center of a lot of the conversations that we’re having about education and about continuity and how our kids are doing in our schools,” said Alan Ronkin, the regional director of AJC Washington. “I think it’s really important to focus on them and help them navigate this really new environment that a lot of them have experienced.”
He spoke to a “significant uptick” in antisemitism in both public and private schools.
“A lot of it relate[s] to ideology that paints Jews and Israel as oppressors, and as a result, isolates Jewish kids and puts them in positions of being looked down upon by classmates and teachers, and this is unacceptable,” Ronkin said, emphasizing the importance of parents advocating for their children.
At the event, Ronkin moderated the opening panel of three local leaders — Dr. Laura Shaw Frank of AJC, Guila Franklin Siegel of JCRC and Meredith Weisel of the ADL — who discussed the “evolving landscape in education” for Jewish students.
Afterwards, attendees heard from school leaders from all three regions of the DMV area about best practices in the field.
“They’re getting it right,” Ronkin said of the three school officials who spoke on the panel. “They are constantly working on this issue and help[ing] parents understand the ins and outs of what is effective; and from their perspectives, what’s going on in the administration, in the classroom and with their kids.”
Marlo Thomas, the assistant head of equity and inclusion at Georgetown Day School, brought her firsthand experience to the panel. In February 2024, Thomas moderated two discussions — one for parents and one for students — on how to counter antisemitism and Islamophobia, which marked the start of GDS’ annual Social Justice Teach-In.
In 2021, GDS sent out a newsletter condemning antisemitism and clearly defining the issue, from harmful stereotypes to hate crimes.
“I think Marlo can set an example for others in the independent school sector, for them to understand that … schools can be vocally supportive and make statements against antisemitism just like they would any other group,” Ronkin said.
Attendees heard from two high school students who discussed their success in “bringing the Jewish experience into schools.”
Ronkin said the most important aspect is for parents to center their child’s experience, then connect with school administrators, principals or school board members if the situation warrants more authority.
“Knowing the players is a critical element,” Ronkin said. “If you’re coming in and it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of you, you’re less effective than if you’ve already built the relationships. Like everything else in our community, relationships are the key.”
He urged parents not to wait until there’s a crisis to contact their child’s school administrators, “then the door is going to be much more open for a parent to make effective change.”
The summit was intended to empower parents of Jewish students, Ronkin said.
“The first thing I hope [parents] walk away with is the knowledge that they’re not alone,” Ronkin said. “There are others who feel the same way that they do, and that they’ve got certain tools — whether it’s organizing tools, legal tools — to fight back, and that the community stands behind and is ready to help them with whatever resources we can.”
