Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Baltimore and the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) are calling on Baltimore City Public Schools and state officials to end all reliance on the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as a credible authority amid a politicized federal civil rights investigation triggered by an ADL complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights that has been refocused to use allegations of antisemitism as a pretext for repression and control of academic institutions.
On August 7, The Baltimore Sun reported that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened the federal probe after receiving a complaint from the ADL. JVP Baltimore and CAIR reject antisemitism and support robust, evidence-based investigations into discrimination, but warn that the ADL’s history shows it is not a trustworthy partner especially in civil rights or equity work.
“The ADL has consistently prioritized the Israeli government and its war crimes over Jewish safety. Involving the ADL in any aspect of our school system not only undermines trust, but actually risks harming the very students these initiatives are meant to protect,” said JVP Baltimore. “We fight antisemitism just like we fight all forms of racism and misogyny — through solidarity. Despite the ADL’s bigotry and fear-mongering, Jewish safety cannot be separated from the safety of all our communities.”
“The ADL bills itself as a civil rights organization, but it is not an ally to movements dedicated to justice and equity for communities of color—and especially not for Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians,” said CAIR Maryland. “Its record of targeting and smearing students and educators for their political beliefs, and of weaponizing allegations of antisemitism to silence legitimate criticism of Israel, disqualifies it from guiding our schools or our state’s equity policies.”
Despite its troubling track record, the ADL continues to operate in some educational and government spaces, influencing anti-bias curricula and advising on “hate” and “tolerance” initiatives. A growing number of institutions are re-evaluating their relationships with the ADL.
Documented Concerns with the ADL Include:
- Racial Profiling and Surveillance: Supporting law enforcement programs that disproportionately target and surveil communities of color, eroding trust and fostering fear.
- Targeting of Student Organizations: Aggressive campaigns against student groups and faculty advocating for Palestinian rights.
- Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Racism: Efforts to undermine Arab American and Muslim community organizing, portraying these communities as foreign agents.
- Anti-Palestinian Advocacy: Shaping U.S. terror laws and supporting the surveillance, repression, and doxxing of Palestinian rights activists.
- Weaponizing Antisemitism: Mischaracterizing peaceful advocacy for Palestinian human rights and criticism of Israel as antisemitism. Codification into policy of the IHRA definition of antisemitism as called for in the ADL complaint is opposed by a large range of civil rights and Jewish groups, including Kenneth Stern, the lead author of the definition, due to its past and potential use in chilling freedom of expression.
- Undermining Social Justice Movements: Opposing Black-led racial justice efforts, including Black Lives Matter and the South African anti-apartheid struggle.
These concerns are not hypothetical—they are so pervasive that ADL staff and board members have resigned, publicly criticizing the organization’s bias and harmful rhetoric. Over 280 organizations, including the membership of the National Education Association (NEA), have rejected ADL educational materials.
JVP Baltimore and CAIR Maryland Call For:
- Baltimore City Public Schools to end the use of the ADL as an investigative or educational partner.
- Maryland State Officials to permanently revoke the ADL’s role, and the use of the “IHRA definition of antisemitism,” in anti-bias curricula, policies, and commissions such as the Hate Crimes Commission.
- Replacement of the ADL with organizations that have demonstrated consistent, equitable advocacy for all communities.
“Maryland has the opportunity to lead by example,” the groups said jointly. “By rejecting ADL, Baltimore City schools and officials affirm their commitment to uphold high standards and maintain integrity in the process of fighting all forms of discrimination.”
Earlier this year, CAIR condemned an “unhinged, racist rant” by ADL national director and CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who was reportedly caught on tape denigrating the Black Lives Matter movement and equating pro-Palestinian student protesters to ISIS and Al-Qaeda during a speech to Republican attorneys general.
The ADL has also platformed anti-Muslim hate speakers like Pastor John Hagee, shared the same stage as anti-Palestinian racists, dehumanized Palestinians by justifying the Israeli government’s attacks on civilians in Gaza, questioned the Palestinian death toll, pressured colleges and other institutions to silence students who peacefully advocate for Palestinian freedom, and downplayed hate crimes against Palestinian-Americans.
Last year, CAIR joined 60 American Muslim, Palestinian, Arab and allied organizations in strongly condemn Greenblatt for hateful, dangerous attacks he has launched on the Palestinian-American community and supporters of Palestinians human rights during recent appearances on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, as well as the ADL’s pattern of targeting diverse communities.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
CONTACT:
Jonathan Rochkind, JVP Baltimore baltimore@jewishvoiceforpeace.org
Zainab Chaudry, CAIR Maryland, zchaudry@cair.com