Berkeley Unified is in hot water again over its handling of discrimination — this time, toward Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students and staff.

The school district has been under scrutiny for months since a federal civil rights complaint filed in February described widespread antisemitism on campuses. On Wednesday, the superintendent testified before Congress on her handling of antisemitism in schools.

Now, the district is facing allegations that it failed to protect its Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students.

The complaint, filed Wednesday by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, alleges “severe and pervasive racism” against these students and staff.

It describes incidents based on input from roughly 20 students, parents and staff, ranging from Arab and Muslim students being taunted as terrorists to a student’s hijab being ripped off. It also claims that the school district is suppressing expressions of support for Palestine and allowing harassment of those who hold these views.

According to the complaint, a Muslim fourth-grader was told she could not give a presentation about Palestinians to her class; students who started a Watermelon Club for Palestine faced complaints before holding their first meeting; parents have harassed students participating in walkouts and protests by filming them.

The complaint by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and CAIR counters what the Brandeis Center characterized as an insufficient response to antisemitism. This complaint argues that there is a suppression of support for Palestinians and discrimination against those expressing a pro-Palestinian viewpoint.

The dueling narratives reflect the division in Berkeley schools over the Israel-Palestine conflict, borne out in online petitions and legal challenges. The new complaint illustrates the heated debates over this issue that have long hashed out at school board meetings and private forums.

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