NJ school district added to federal investigations over discrimination

⬛ NJ schools under federal probe

⬛ Public district was added to discrimination claims

⬛ Rutgers was also added to the list in December

NEWARK — A federal investigation has been launched into Newark Public Schools, stemming from discrimination involving shared ancestry.

The school district was added to the list kept by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, as of Dec. 21.

Newark’s district serves over 37,800 students, as the largest school system in the state.

Ten days earlier, a discrimination investigation was also launched involving Rutgers University, Newark campus, according to the same online list.

In a statement issued in December, as cited by 6ABC Action News, Rutgers said it was cooperating with the probe and "stands against antisemitism and against hate."

No details were given by federal officials about the basis for either discrimination probe.

Another school added to the same investigation list — Drexel University in Philadelphia, as of Dec. 18.

Read More: Rutgers loses big donors over antisemitism worries at NJ school 

Independently since the fall, Rutgers University has been embroiled in an ongoing situation involving a Jewish law student at the Newark campus.

As previously reported by NorthJersey.com, Yoel Ackerman complained about a video shared to social media by the Rutgers Student Bar Association, which he said was filled with misinformation about the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

Ackerman this week filed a lawsuit against the university and several law school administrators, as reported by Reuters, saying he faced discrimination and retaliation for raising his concerns.

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