under Title VI on the ground that they also share 
a common faith. These principles apply not just to 
Jewish students, but also to students from any dis-
crete religious group that shares, or is perceived to 
share, ancestry or ethnic characteristics (e.g., Mus-
lims or Sikhs).’’. 
(8) Anti-Semitism, and harassment on the basis 
of actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic 
characteristics with a religious group, remains a per-
sistent, disturbing problem in elementary and sec-
ondary schools and on college campuses. 
(9) Students from a range of diverse back-
grounds, including Jewish, Arab Muslim, and Sikh 
students, are being threatened, harassed, or intimi-
dated in their schools (including on their campuses) 
on the basis of their shared ancestry or ethnic char-
acteristics including through harassing conduct that 
creates a hostile environment so severe, pervasive, or 
persistent so as to interfere with or limit some stu-
dents’ ability to participate in or benefit from the 
services, activities, or opportunities offered by 
schools. 
(10) The 2010 Dear Colleague letter cautioned 
schools that they ‘‘must take prompt and effective 
steps reasonably calculated to end the harassment, 
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eliminate any hostile environment, and its effects, 
and prevent the harassment from recurring,’’ but 
did not provide guidance on current manifestations 
of anti-Semitism, including discriminatory anti-Se-
mitic conduct that is couched as anti-Israel or anti- 
Zionist. 
(11) The definition and examples referred to in 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 3 have been valu-
able tools to help identify contemporary manifesta-
tions of anti-Semitism, and include useful examples 
of discriminatory anti-Israel conduct that crosses the 
line into anti-Semitism. 
(12) Awareness of this definition of anti-Semi-
tism will increase understanding of the parameters 
of contemporary anti-Jewish conduct and will assist 
the Department of Education in determining wheth-
er an investigation of anti-Semitism under title VI 
is warranted. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘definition of anti- 
Semitism’’— 
(1) includes the definition of anti-Semitism set 
forth by the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat 
Anti-Semitism of the Department of State in the 
Fact Sheet issued on June 8, 2010; and 
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(2) includes the examples set forth under the 
headings ‘‘Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semi-
tism’’ and ‘‘What is Anti-Semitism Relative to 
Israel?’’ of the Fact Sheet. 
SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION FOR TITLE VI OF THE 
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. 
In reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there 
has been a violation of title VI of the Civil Rights Act 
of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) on the basis of race, 
color, or national origin, based on an individual’s actual 
or perceived shared Jewish ancestry or Jewish ethnic char-
acteristics, the Department of Education shall take into 
consideration the definition of anti-Semitism as part of the 
Department’s assessment of whether the practice was mo-
tivated by anti-Semitic intent. 
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION. 
The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights shall admin-
ister and enforce title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 
(42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) and title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) in a man-
ner that is consistent with the manner of administration 
and enforcement described in the Dear Colleague letter 
issued on September 13, 2004, by the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement of the Department of Edu-
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cation, entitled ‘‘Title VI and Title IX Religious Discrimi-
nation in Schools and Colleges’’. 
SEC. 6. OTHER RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) GENERAL RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this Act shall be construed— 
(1) to expand the authority of the Secretary of 
Education; 
(2) to alter the standards pursuant to which the 
Department of Education makes a determination 
that harassing conduct amounts to actionable dis-
crimination; or 
(3) to diminish or infringe upon the rights pro-
tected under any other provision of law that is in ef-
fect as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS.—Nothing in 
this Act shall be construed to diminish or infringe upon 
any right protected under the First Amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States. 
Æ 
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