This week, the Justice Department and the Concord-Carlisle, Massachusetts School District entered into a voluntary settlement agreement to ensure the district appropriately responds to incidents of antisemitic harassment of students by their peers. The settlement agreement resolves the Department’s investigation under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, regarding complaints of harassment based on religion, race, and national origin.
“The Department will not tolerate antisemitic harassment of students at any level of education,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “School districts, like colleges and universities, must take prompt and effective action to address antisemitic harassment when it creates a hostile environment for Jewish students and must keep taking action until Jewish students are once again safe and welcome at their school.”
Between 2023 and 2025, a series of antisemitic incidents occurred at both the high school and middle school levels in the district. These incidents included the repeated drawing of swastikas and the use of “Jew” as a derogatory term by other students against Jewish students.
After the Department opened its investigation in March 2025, the district adopted reforms and initiatives to combat antisemitism and address the issues caused by these incidents, including working with stakeholders and providing additional training to its employees on handling antisemitism incidents. The Department commends the district for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, and for entering into this Settlement Agreement. The Department also thanks the Anti-Defamation League, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Mayer Brown, and their clients for filing a complaint and for their assistance with the Department’s investigation.
Under the settlement agreement, the district will review and revise its policies. It will also respond promptly and effectively to potential incidents of harassment, including by ensuring that all incidents are identified, protecting complainants from retaliation, conducting full and comprehensive investigations, taking appropriate remedial measures where warranted (including developing and implementing safety and support plans for victims and making public statements in response to incidents where appropriate), and designating a district-level employee to oversee its compliance with these requirements. The district will also provide additional staff and student training on the district’s harassment policies and procedures. The Department will monitor the district’s compliance with the settlement agreement, and the district will continue to report to the public about its efforts to address antisemitism.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section’s work to combat discrimination is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
