Working Group to Combat Anti-Jewish, Anti-Muslim, and Anti-Arab Racism

  • Evanston Township High School has announced the formation of the Working Group to Combat Anti-Jewish, Anti-Muslim, and Anti-Arab Racism, aligning with the district’s broader commitment to addressing racism and discrimination experienced by members of our school community. ETHS recognizes the intersectionality of identities and the diverse impacts of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism on our students and staff, and this initiative is designed to inform our response to these multifaceted issues.

    The goal is to ensure that ETHS not only responds to incidents or allegations of discrimination, but also implements proactive measures to advance inclusion for Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Israeli, and Palestinian community members.


    Key Objectives

    The Working Group will review programming, activities, processes, and practices currently in place at ETHS, with the aim of making recommendations to support the administration’s response to anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab racism on campus. The Working Group will present its findings and recommendations to the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent/Principal, and other school administrators.

    • Facilitate meaningful dialogue and understanding regarding the impact of recent events in Israel and Gaza on our school community.
    • Address the rise of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Jewish sentiments and recommend strategies for educators to understand and prevent them.
    • Create a supportive environment for open discussion and reflection on ways to promote inclusivity, belonging, and healing within our school community.
    • Ensure that ETHS staff feel better equipped to understand and address the needs of students impacted by recent events.
    • Foster awareness, empathy, and understanding among ETHS students and staff.


    The Working Group will engage in broad collaboration and consultation with the ETHS community. Working Group members will be expected to focus their attention on four primary activities:

    1. Gathering information about the experiences and perspectives of ETHS students, staff, and community members who have been affected by antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism;

    2. Identifying opportunities in ETHS policies, practices, and programs to address anti-Jewish racism, anti-Muslim racism, and anti-Arab racism;

    3. Recommending initiatives that aim to help ETHS achieve a more respectful, accountable, equitable, and inclusive community, with a specific focus on combating antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism within our school district; and

    4. Presenting findings and recommendations to the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent/Principal, the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and other school administrators.