Swastikas and Slurs in Schools: Mass. District Reaches DOJ Settlement Over Antisemitic Harassment

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a voluntary settlement with the Concord-Carlisle School District in Massachusetts following an investigation into antisemitic harassment of students, officials announced this week.

The agreement resolves a federal inquiry under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which examined complaints that students were subjected to harassment based on religion, race and national origin.

According to the Justice Department, a series of incidents between 2023 and 2025 at both the district’s middle and high schools included repeated drawings of swastikas and the use of “Jew” as a derogatory term directed at Jewish students.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the department’s Civil Rights Division said school systems are required to take action when harassment creates a hostile environment for students. She said districts must respond promptly and continue efforts until affected students feel safe.

The investigation began in March 2025. Federal officials said the district cooperated and implemented initial reforms during the inquiry, including additional staff training and engagement with community stakeholders.

Under the settlement, the district agreed to review and revise its policies on harassment and discrimination. It must also improve how it identifies and responds to incidents, ensure protections against retaliation, and conduct thorough investigations. The agreement calls for appropriate corrective measures when violations are found, such as support plans for affected students and, when warranted, public statements addressing incidents.

The district will designate an employee to oversee compliance and provide additional training for staff and students on harassment policies and procedures.

The Justice Department said it will monitor the district’s compliance with the agreement. The district is also expected to continue reporting publicly on its efforts to address antisemitism.

Deputy US Marshal Convicted for Assaulting Shackled Prisoner, Then Lying About It

A federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana has convicted a deputy U.S. marshal on civil rights and obstruction of justice charges stemming from the assault of a restrained prisoner, the Justice Department said.

The defendant, Joshua Firmin, was found guilty of using excessive force in violation of the Constitution and of filing a false report about the incident.

Prosecutors said the assault occurred on Feb. 9, 2024, at the U.S. District Court in Lafayette, where Firmin was supervising prisoner custody operations. According to evidence presented at trial, the prisoner was restrained in handcuffs, a belly chain and leg irons when Firmin opened a locked cell door, grabbed the individual by the collar and struck him in the face with a ring of keys.

Firmin then pulled the prisoner from the cell and pushed him into a wall, prosecutors said. Because the prisoner was restrained, he was unable to break his fall, and his head struck the wall, causing a scalp injury that required medical treatment, including staples.

Authorities said Firmin later submitted an official incident report to the U.S. Marshals Service in which he claimed he used force in response to the prisoner attempting to spit on him. The jury found that account to be false.

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the conviction reflects the principle that prisoners are entitled to constitutional protections and that law enforcement officers can be held accountable for abuses of authority.

Evicted for Calling Police During Domestic Violence: Landlords Pay $25K in First-of-Its-Kind DOJ Settlement

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement in what officials described as the first lawsuit brought to enforce housing protections under the Violence Against Women Act’s 2022 reauthorization.

The case, filed in May 2025 in federal court in New Hampshire, alleged that landlords David and Lisa Montanus violated federal law by evicting a tenant after she sought police assistance during a domestic violence incident.

Under the settlement, the defendants must comply with provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that protect tenants who request emergency assistance. They are also prohibited from making adverse credit reports related to the tenant’s rental history and must pay $25,000 to compensate the woman and her children.

The agreement further requires the defendants to notify the federal government if they acquire additional rental properties during the next three years and to complete training on VAWA requirements.

Federal officials said the lawsuit centered on protections added when Congress reauthorized VAWA in 2022. Those provisions prohibit housing providers from evicting or otherwise penalizing tenants for seeking law enforcement or emergency services, including in cases of domestic violence.

The case was referred to the Justice Department after the Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint, conducted an investigation and issued a charge of discrimination.