Leaders of some of the largest U.S. public school districts faced questions from a House panel Wednesday about incidents of antisemitism in their schools.

A Republican-led House education subcommittee called Berkeley Unified Schools Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel of California, New York City School Chancellor David Banks and Montgomery County School Board President Karla Silvestre of Maryland to testify.

“Antisemitic incidents have exploded in K-12 schools following Hamas’ horrific Oct. 7 attack. Jewish teachers, students, and faculty have been denied a safe learning environment and forced to contend with antisemitic agitators due to district leaders’ inaction,” Rep. Aaron Bean, a Florida Republican who chairs the House Education and Workforce subcommittee on elementary and secondary education, told CBS News.

In his opening statement on Wednesday, Bean said that “the very need for this hearing is a travesty,” adding that the witnesses represent “some of the largest school districts in the nation where there’s been some vile antisemitism.”

A senior committee aide told CBS News the panel didn’t issue subpoenas, but it did ask the school district leaders to appear voluntarily.