Jewish student faced 'Jew touch tag,' Holocaust taunts, and physical abuse, complaint alleges

The Boulder Valley School District Board of Education met Tuesday to address a federal civil rights complaint alleging severe antisemitic harassment and physical abuse of a Jewish student at Southern Hills Middle School. Superintendent Rob Anderson apologized and pledged operational changes, while community members demanded accountability. Some speakers opposed adopting the IHRA antisemitism definition over free speech concerns.

The Boulder Valley School District Board of Education held a regular meeting on Tuesday night to address antisemitic harassment and a federal civil rights complaint detailing severe abuse and physical violence against a Jewish student. The meeting drew dozens of community members, parents, students, and advocates who packed the boardroom to demand systemic accountability and reform from district leadership. The federal civil rights complaint, filed in June by the Anti-Defamation League on behalf of a Southern Hills Middle School student, outlines a pattern of severe misconduct. According to the complaint, a Jewish student was subjected to repeated antisemitic harassment, slurs, threats, and physical abuse over two years. Allegations include students referring to the student as 'dirty' and 'contaminated,' playing a game called 'Jew touch tag,' making Nazi and Holocaust-related comments, and on one occasion, allegedly placing a charging cord around the student's neck and dragging him backward while using an antisemitic slur. Superintendent Rob Anderson opened the meeting by delivering a public apology, acknowledging past district responses were insufficient. He pledged to implement a coordinated district response team and a new oversight council. During public comment, Jewish Alliance of Colorado president Aaron Brooks urged the board to address the student's ordeal directly, not as part of broader political debates. Students and parents testified about a pervasive sense of insecurity. Some speakers opposed adopting the IHRA antisemitism definition, citing free speech concerns. Anderson confirmed the district will establish a dedicated web page and implement a professional learning series for staff.