Jewish school principals in Britain are spending increasing amounts of time dealing with security rather than education, according to a government-commissioned review into antisemitism in schools and colleges.
Sir David Bell, who chairs the review established by the British government following a rise in antisemitic incidents in educational institutions, told the BBC that he had been struck by how many Jewish school leaders described security as their overriding concern.
He said that in some cases, “education sometimes comes second,” and described the scale of antisemitism directed at children and young people as “shocking.”
The report, expected to be published this fall, is examining the experiences of Jewish students and staff in schools and colleges across England.
Bell said the review had found that Jewish pupils are “regularly subjected to harassment and abuse.”
Jewish children and teenagers, he said, are facing “pressure and, you could even say, a crisis” that other communities in Britain are not experiencing.
According to information obtained by the BBC, the review is expected to recommend dedicated training for all teachers as well as stronger education about antisemitism for students.
The BBC spoke with several principals and staff members at Jewish schools. All asked not to be identified, citing concerns about their own safety and that of their schools.
Police officers near a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Manchester
(Photo: Shutterstock)
One Jewish school principal said the security burden had grown dramatically in recent years.
“In recent years, [security] has become a critical priority, and the scale of it has increased significantly,” the principal told the BBC.
“There have been weeks when around 90% of my time has been spent on security-related issues. Security concerns can become one of the many things school leaders carry with them beyond school hours, and quite literally, they can be among the things that keep me awake at night.”
Another principal, who has led a Jewish school for 13 years, said he had never devoted so much of his time and energy to security.
“I have never spent so much of my time and energy dealing with security issues, speaking with governors and parents, and above all making daily decisions about how to keep the children at our school safe,” he said.
(Photo: Ilgov/Shutterstock)
He added that the demands had prevented him from focusing on “educational priorities and improving our school.”
“Instead, my focus and time have been devoted to security, something that should be taken for granted for every child in this country,” he said.
Bell’s review has also taken testimony from students.
One of them is Jonathan Frischer, a secondary school student from Cheshire and the only Jewish student at his school, who first experienced antisemitic bullying in 2020.
He told the BBC that even a single lesson addressing contemporary antisemitism had made a noticeable difference.
“Just one lesson on antisemitism today really helped,” he said. “People’s attitudes changed immediately, and some even apologized to me. I experienced much less antisemitism.”
“If it works in my school, there is no reason it shouldn’t work in every school across the country.”