US Education Department Panel Recommends Suspending Psychology Association Accreditation Over Antisemitism

A US Department of Education advisory committee has recommended a one-year suspension of government recognition for the accreditation arm of the American Psychological Association (APA). The committee, NACIQI, found that the APA's Commission on Accreditation "failed to address the pervasive culture of antisemitism" within the programs it accredits.

The recommendation, pending final decision by the Trump administration and the Department of Education, follows over two years of complaints from Jewish and Israeli psychologists alleging antisemitism, exclusion, and the integration of anti-Israel sentiments in professional training.

The APA is the largest and most influential psychology organization in the US, accrediting over 1,300 training programs. While the suspension wouldn't immediately close programs or invalidate degrees, the APA warns of broader implications for mental health services, potentially affecting federal funding, graduate licensing, and exacerbating existing professional shortages.

Numerous testimonies highlighted discrimination, with Evelyn Schechman of the American Jewish Medical Association stating antisemitism in mental health has become so common that Jews avoid treatment for fear of hostility. Jewish students reported hearing hateful remarks and encountering curricula that questioned Israel's legitimacy.

The Combat Antisemitism Movement noted that some diversity courses depicted Jews as "white colonial oppressors" and Zionism as a "mental illness." The APA itself acknowledged offensive content, including a "Kudos to Hamas" post on a peace research listserv, leading one accredited body to lose its continuing education accreditation.

Pressure on the APA has mounted, with over 3,500 professionals signing a letter about a "systemic problem" of antisemitism. Investigations were launched by the House Education Committee and the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services. New guidance clarifies that discrimination against Jews and Israelis in federally funded institutions violates civil rights laws.

Internally, the APA has faced accusations of a double standard, as it has not yet granted the Jewish Psychologists Association official status as an "ethnic psychological association," a status afforded to other minority groups. In response to criticism, the APA has updated its listserv rules, established a complaint database, conducted training, and issued a formal resolution condemning antisemitism.