San Francisco and Oakland school districts under federal investigation

OAKLAND, Calif. - Two Bay Area school districts are under investigation for civil rights violations. The U.S. Department of Education says it's investigating both Oakland and San Francisco Unified School Districts. 

The department did not indicate why the districts are being investigated. They only said the Office of Civil Rights is looking into discrimination complaints involving shared ancestry. 

KTVU has reached out to both districts for comment but has not yet heard back from either. 

The Jewish Community Relations Council on Thursday issued a statement on the federal investigations. They said in part that large numbers of Jewish families from these school systems have expressed concern for their children's safety amid "rising antisemitism." 

"While we do not yet have information about the subject of the complaints, we have been concerned since October 7 about the safety and belonging of Jewish students in both districts." 

The organization said at least 30 Jewish families transferred their children out of Oakland Unified School District between October and December 2023. 

The group also encourages the district's to prioritize curriculum on Jewish identity and antisemitism and to take proactive measures to provide an inclusive environment for Jewish students and families.