Fox News Media Fox News Media Fox Business Fox Nation Fox News Audio Fox Weather Outkick Fox Noticias Books Fox News U.S.PoliticsWorldOpinionMediaEntertainmentSportsLifestyleVideoAIMore Expand / Collapse search Login Watch TV Chuck Schumer Opponents of antisemitism on campus frustrated by Schumer's failure to move on legislation: 'Stunning' Schumer has a 'strong history fighting antisemitism,' an aide said By Alec Schemmel Fox News Published November 1, 2024 6:44pm EDT | Updated November 1, 2024 6:58pm EDT Facebook Twitter Flipboard Comments Print Email "They’re feeling threatened": Jewish students in New York reflect on antisemitism on the anniversary of Oct. 7 2023. Jewish students at the October 7 anniversary protests in New York city spoke with Fox News Digital about their thoughts on Israel and antisemitism. Pro-Israel leaders and activists are expressing frustration and disappointment that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has yet to plan a vote on a bill aimed at tackling the rising tide of antisemitism on college campuses. Many fear the delay could lead to the bill getting "watered down" – or potentially getting derailed altogether. "This is a very good bill. It's a very important bill. It comes at a very, very urgent time in terms of the dynamics of our country, and it should be passed, and it should be passed and signed into law right away. I mean, the sooner the better," said Elan Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council and former U.S. special envoy to combat antisemitism. placeholder "There's deep disappointment that this has been slow-rolled," Rabbi Abrahm Cooper, former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and director at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, added. "I think, in many ways, taking that tactic only highlights the fact that there are obviously elements of the Democratic Party that are anti-Israel." Carr echoed Cooper's suggestion that the delay could likely be due to concerns that "this bill could reveal fissures that would be embarrassing for some." CNN'S JENNINGS CALLS OUT STUDENT ‘HITLERS,' ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: ‘OPEN YOUR EYES’ The bill in question is the Antisemitism Awareness Act, passed in bipartisan fashion on May 1. It seeks to mandate that the Department of Education adopt the same definition of "antisemitism" used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization aimed at uniting governments and experts to advance and promote Holocaust education. Under the bill, the IHRA definition would become standard for use in Title VI cases brought forward by the Department of Education. Pro-Palestinian protesters at Harvard University Harvard University is one of several institutions facing on-campus antisemitism. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images) Schumer has promised to put the Antisemitism Awareness Act up for a vote before the end of the year, according to Axios, which reported that he wants to attach the measure to the must-pass defense bill that will be voted on during Congress' lame-duck session following the election. The move would pressure any potential dissenters to get on board with it. According to Jewish Insider, Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have opposed the bill on grounds it limits free speech, while the New York Times reported Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah has also voiced his own objections. A spokesman for Schumer indicated the majority leader's strategy was to attach the bill to another measure senators would feel compelled to vote for. "Senator Schumer has a long and strong history fighting antisemitism, and the goal with passing antisemitism legislation has long been to use a viable, must-pass vehicle to accomplish that. We fully intend to get it done before the end of the year," said Schumer Communications Director Angelo Roefaro. The American Jewish Committee's Director of Policy and Political Affairs, Julie Rayman, pointed to Schumer's "earnest commitment to passing impactful legislation to counter antisemitism in the Senate." But other proponents of getting the bill passed, such as Carr, expressed fear that Schumer's decision to delay the vote until the lame-duck session – which starts after the November election – might jeopardize the bill's prospects of being passed. FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: JEWISH STUDENTS FEEL TARGETED AS COLLEGE RESUMES "One thing I don't want to see happen is that this thing will be amended in ways that will make it actually more harmful than not doing anything at all," Carr said. "My concern is it could get watered down, and the final product could do damage to the very causes that this bill is supposed to advance." Anti-zionism sign in MIT encampment A sign taped to a tent inside the MIT encampment states that anti-Zionism does not equal antisemitism. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital ) Carr pointed to a similar situation that happened in Indiana's state legislature, where a bill that passed by both chambers was ultimately vetoed by the governor because it failed to incorporate the entire IHRA definition of antisemitism. placeholder "Senator Schumer’s choice to delay a vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act by attaching it to unrelated legislation is disappointing, risking unnecessary setbacks," said Florida GOP Rep. Carlos Giménez. Giménez voted in favor of the Antisemitism Awareness Act earlier this year and introduced different legislation targeting hatred towards the Jewish community. "I urge Senator Schumer to act now—protecting students from antisemitism must be a straightforward, bipartisan commitment that doesn’t get sidelined by political calculations." FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: CHICAGO'S JEWISH COMMUNITY SHAKEN BY SHOOTING Gerard Filitti is senior counsel with the Lawfare Project, a nonprofit which provides pro bono legal assistance to protect the civil rights of the Jewish community. He argued that in light of the Education and Workforce Committee's report chronicling Schumer's laissez-faire attitude towards campus antisemitism, there is "a very real concern" that Schumer might not ever bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the floor for a vote at all. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Senator Schumer’s lack of leadership on one of the most pressing civil rights issues in our country is stunning," argued Filitti. "Schumer has had six whole months to bring this bill up for a vote, and his failure to do so is not just puzzling but rather troubling; antisemitism is not, and should not be made, a partisan political issue. As with other forms of racism and bigotry, it takes bipartisanship to combat Jew-hatred, and in light of the ongoing crisis of antisemitism we see on college campuses, this bill should have passed the Senate months ago."

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Supporting Antifa in an educational context would amplify the anti-democratic nature of ideological capture to a dangerous degree. Antifa's core characteristics Antifa is a loose, decentralized far-left militant movement that explicitly rejects liberal democracy in favor of direct action, deplatforming, and sometimes violence to combat perceived fascism. It opposes free speech for opponents, views institutions (including schools) as tools for revolutionary change, and often aligns with anarchist or accelerationist tactics. Open support for it goes beyond standard left politics into endorsing extra-legal methods.Why educator or institutional support crosses a line Undermines the rule of law — Public schools are state institutions bound by democratic norms (elections, due process, free expression under the First Amendment). Teachers or curricula that fantasize, romanticize, excuse, or promote Antifa-style tactics (property destruction, no-platforming, "by any means necessary") teach contempt for democratic mechanisms. This is especially toxic for youth, who are still forming civic habits. Heightens indoctrination risk — In captured systems (e.g., activist factions within unions like Oakland Education Association), materials that frame Antifa sympathetically as heroic resisters fit the pattern of one-sided narratives. We've seen unauthorized "teach-ins" and "liberatory education" pushes in Oakland and similar districts that critics argue veer into political activism rather than balanced analysis. Glorifying militant groups adds an endorsement of violence to ideological skew. rethinkingschools.org Disproportionate harm — For less-educated or captive audiences (K-12 students), this normalizes extremism. It can desensitize youth to political violence, chill dissent in classrooms, and erode trust in democratic institutions. Post-2020 riots and campus disruptions showed real-world spillover. Anti-democratic double standard — Democracy allows debate over ideas, even radical ones. But state-funded educators actively supporting a movement that rejects debate itself (via doxxing, riots, or "punch a Nazi" rhetoric that expands "Nazi" to include mainstream conservatives) is viewpoint discrimination with state power behind it. It's the opposite of pluralism. Reality checkNot every progressive educator supports Antifa—many explicitly reject its violence. Direct endorsements in official curricula are rare and often opposed by districts when publicized. However, tolerance or soft-pedaling in activist teacher circles, reading lists that lionize radical left figures, or failure to condemn Antifa-linked tactics does occur in highly polarized blue-city environments and feeds the capture critique.This would make the problem not just bias, but incitement against democratic norms. Reforms emphasizing classical civics, viewpoint balance, and strict political neutrality in K-12 become even more urgent. Public education should prepare citizens for democracy, not recruit for its rejection..