The Point: New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks says steps being taken to educate students on Israel-Hamas war after protest
The Point
The conflict in the Middle East spilled into the classroom this week, which begs the question, how do we make sure protests remain respectful and not hateful?
Talking Points
Considering passionate arguments on both sides and the First Amendment rights of teachers and students, where to draw the line? New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks joined the show to sort it all out.
Banks said he wants to bring in outside groups to help open conversations and even set up a hotline to help address issues.
- Related story: Schools Chancellor David Banks meets with students at Hillcrest High School to discuss outrage over teacher supporting Israel
Meanwhile, the city's Department of Education is one of several schools and universities across the U.S. being investigated over claims of antisemitism and Islamophobia in recent weeks.
The U.S. DOE is trying to determine if these schools violated Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act, which protects students from discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
The city's DOE released the following statement:
"As Chancellor Banks has made clear on numerous occasions, hate or bias of any kind has no place in our public schools. We are taking concrete steps to ensure our schools continue to be safe, welcoming, and respectful places for all our students and staff. We received notice of an investigation by the USDOE and will cooperate fully."
Your Point
Do you trust your elected officials? Some New Yorkers do, some don't.
Exclamation Point
In a conversation only on CBS News New York, Banks discusses the challenges ahead amid budget cuts and serving tens of thousands of asylum-seeking students.
"The Point with Marcia Kramer" airs every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on CBS2, right after "Face the Nation." Then turn to CBS News New York at noon for "Exclamation Point," an extended conversation with our guests.
