NYC schools chancellor faces tough questions about campus antisemitism before Congress

GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M MARY CALVI AND CBS2 AND STREAMING ON CBS NEWS NEW YORK. WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THAT TESTIMONY FROM NEW YORK CITY'S SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR BANKS DETAILING WHAT IS BEING DONE TO COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM IN SCHOOLS. CBS2'S ELIJAH WESTBROOK JOINS US WITH THE LATEST ON THIS. >> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU. TODAY THE HEARING GIVES CONGRESS THE CHANCE TO CONFRONT SCHOOL LEADERS FROM THE COUNTRY ABOUT REPORTS OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN THEIR DISTRICTS. NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHANCELLOR DAVID BANKS WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK WITH OPENING REMARKS ABOUT THE WORK HE SAYS IS BEING DONE TO COMBAT THESE ISSUES. CHANCELLOR BANKS TOUCHED A BIT ON THE SUSPENSION OF AT LEAST 30 STUDENTS SINCE OCTOBER 7th WHEN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR BEGAN. BANKS SAID THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS ALSO INVOLVED NYPD WHEN HATE CRIMES OR SIMILAR ACTS INTENSIFIED. ADDING THE THE SYSTEM IS ENGAGED WITH DOZENS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SERVE AS ANOTHER FORM OF LEADERSHIP. BUT IT WAS THIS PART HERE WE'RE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU WHEN DIALOGUE INTENSIFIED. BANKS WAS PRESSED BY CONGRESSMAN OWENS FROM UTAH ABOUT A RECENT PROTEST AND AN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENT AT HILL CREST HIGH SCHOOL IN QUEENS. >> I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD CLEARLY FROM I SAID. IT WAS VERY CLEAR. WE SUSPENDED NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE THE LEADERS AT HILL CREST HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, WE REMOVED THE PRINCIPAL OF THAT SCHOOL FOR A LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND OVERNIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT MUCH CLEARER. I CONDEMN CLEARLY WHAT HAPPENED AT HILL CREST WAS A COMPLETE ACT AND IT WILL NOT STAND ON MY WATCH AND WE RESPONDED AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE MAKE IT ANY CLEARER, SIR. >> Reporter: NOW DURING HIS TESTIMONY, BANKS SAID THAT NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST 281 INCIDENTS SINCE OCTOBER 7th. TODAY'S HEARING INVOLVES THE SAME GROUP OF CONGRESSMEN WHOSE TOUGH QUESTIONING ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM AND PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES COST SEVERAL EDUCATORS THEIR JOBS. CHANCELLOR BANKS WAS ALSO JOINED BY SCHOOL LEADERS FROM CALIFORNIA AND MARYLAND. THE HEARING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. MARY? >> ELIJAH WESTBROOK, THANK YOU. >>> AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO WATCH CHANCELLOR BANKS' TESTIMONY AS IT CONTINUES THIS AFTERNOON, WE ARE STREAMING IT RIGHT NOW ONCBS NEWS NEW YORK AND CBS2 POLITICAL REPORTER MARCIA KRAMER IS INSIDE THE HEARING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. RIGHT NOW. YOU CA

Channel: CBS New York

Views: 5,992

Keywords: CBS2 News At Noon, antisemitism, antisemitism in schools, school antisemitism, congress, capitol hill, david banks, nyc schools, new york city public schools, new york city department of education, nyc doe, new york, education, school, elijah westbrook, local tv

Id: aRSyyEw0ldw

Length: 2min 19sec (139 seconds)

Published: Wed May 08 2024