Hate crimes in schools nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022

The number of reported hate crimes at schools and colleges nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022, according to data released by the FBI on Monday.

In 2022, about 1,300 hate crimes were reported in elementary schools, high schools and colleges, up from 700 in 2018 — an increase of about 90 percent, according to the report, the first on the subject published by the federal government.

Black Americans were the most common victims, with a total of 1,690 hate crimes committed against them over the five-year period, followed by LGBTQ people with 900 crimes; Jewish Americans ranked third, with 745 crimes reported.

The statistics count crimes against students or others in school buildings and on campuses.

Although FBI officials did not provide an explanation for the rising numbers, the country's education system experienced a high degree of politicization during the period covered by the report.

Following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, a national movement drew attention to racism in every facet of American life, including schools, which could have led to an increase in reporting. There was also a strong backlash against that movement, which may have led to a number of hate crimes.

The period covered by the new data ends in 2022; Still, it is of great interest to many educators and policymakers looking at how the war between Israel and Gaza has roiled the country's school systems. Since the conflict began in October 2023, there have been widespread reports of increased incidents of bias in schools against Jewish, Arab and Muslim students. Organizations including the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish group, have called on policymakers to take action.

The new report lists a total of 71 anti-Muslim and 32 anti-Arab hate crimes that occurred in schools between 2018 and 2022. fewer American Muslims than American Jews.

Overall, many crime experts believe hate crimes are underreported by victims. And in recent years, some local police departments have not reported their own hate crime data to the FBI, making it likely that national rates are even below reported hate crimes.

According to the new report, harassment was the most common form of hate crime in schools. The federal government defines this as unlawfully inducing another individual to fear bodily harm through the use of threatening words or other actions. Almost as common was vandalism or destruction of property, including graffiti with symbols or hateful words. The third most common offense was simple assault, a physical attack without a weapon that does not cause serious injury to the victim.

At least a third of the nation's historically black colleges received bomb threats by 2022, according to the FBI.

According to the FBI report, more hate crimes were reported at elementary and secondary schools than at colleges and universities. The number of reported crimes fell in 2020, during the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, when most schools closed, and then rose significantly, exceeding pre-pandemic figures in 2022.

Yet children and young adults were more likely to experience hate crimes outside of school than in schools and colleges, according to federal data.

The 90 percent increase in hate crimes in schools appeared to outpace the overall increase in hate crimes nationally over the same period. In total approx 13,300 Hate crimes were reported in 2022, an increase of 8,500 in 2018an increase of about 60 percent.

Outside of schools, the groups most affected were the same as in schools: Black Americans, LGBTQ people and Jewish Americans.