Dept. of Ed. To Investigate Seven Schools Over Alleged Antisemitism
The Department of Education announced investigations on November 16 into seven schools over alleged instances of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Spectrum News NY1 reported that the investigations are under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The schools under investigation are Cooper Union, Cornell University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Lafayette College, Wellesley College and the Maize Unified School District in Maize, KS. Wellesley told NY1 the investigation stems from a complaint by the Brandeis Center over residential advisors in a dormitory saying there should be “no support for Zionism” in the college community and a “teach-in”; the college said that they quickly rectified the former and that the complaint didn’t accurately summarize the latter.
Maize Unified School District told NY1 that they will cooperate with the investigation but haven’t been told the reason for the investigation. Lafayette College President Nicole Hurd said in a statement “incidents like those that have occurred at other campuses” haven’t occurred at Lafayette, though she did acknowledge that there was a “problematic poster” that the college swiftly handled.
Columbia said that, while they’re not going to comment on the investigation itself, they have established a task force to address antisemitism on campus and have denounced the “harassment of Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students.” Cornell declined to comment to NY1.
ASU Cancels Rashida Tlaib Event
Arizona State University (ASU) canceled an on-campus event featuring Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), citing procedural issues.
A university spokesperson told The State Press, a student newspaper: “The event featuring Congresswoman Tlaib was planned and produced by groups not affiliated with ASU and was organized outside of ASU policies and procedures. Accordingly, that event will not take place today on the ASU Tempe campus.”
The event, called “Palestine Is an American Issue,” was organized by the Arizona Palestine Network and co-sponsored by ASU’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter, per The State Press. The SJP chapter called the university’s decision to cancel the event “unacceptable … Rashida Tlaib must be heard on campus as the only Palestinian member of Congress who plans to speak on an American issue at an event.”
GWU Suspends SJP Over Projecting Anti-Israel Slogans onto Library
George Washington University (GWU) suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter for at least 90 days over the chapter projecting anti-Israel slogans onto the university’s Gelman Library in October.
As previously reported by the Journal, the slogans projected onto the library included “glory to our martyrs,” “divestment from Zionist genocide now,” and “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” The GW Hatchet reported on November 14 that they received a statement from the university stating, “Effective immediately, the university has prohibited SJP from participating in activities on campus.” On February 12, 2024, SJP’s activities will be restricted on campus.
A representative from the SJP chapter told the Hatchet that the university’s decision to suspend them is “a political response to a growing wave of backlash and repression towards Palestinian organizing.” Around 100 students attended an on-campus rally on November 15 protesting against SJP’s suspension, the Hatchet reported.
Jewish Students File Lawsuit Against NYU Over Its Handling of Antisemitism
Three Jewish students filed a lawsuit against New York University (NYU) on November 15 alleging that the university has improperly handled incidents of antisemitism since October 7.
ABC News reported that the three students claim in the lawsuit that they have been subjected to “repeated verbal and physical threats, and made to feel unsafe on campus, as they are forced to confront angry mobs of students and faculty members extolling the Hamas massacre, and calling for the deaths of Jews and the annihilation of Israel.” The lawsuit alleged that “the university has done nothing to enforce these policies to remedy or prevent that behavior, and certainly nothing approaching the manner in which NYU has enforced them with respect to misconduct not involving antisemitism.”
University spokesman John Beckman disputed the allegations, telling ABC: “NYU looks forward to setting the record straight, to challenging this lawsuit’s one-sided narrative, to making clear the many efforts NYU has made to combat antisemitism.”
Jewish Students Assaulted at Ohio State
Two Jewish students have been assaulted and small Israeli flags were stolen from the Hillel at Ohio State University (OSU), Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported.
The assault, which occurred on November 10, reportedly involved two Middle Eastern men punching the two students in the face after a verbal altercation outside a bar. The two suspects allegedly said “k— Zionist.” Both OSU Vice President Peter Mohler and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) condemned the incidents; DeWine announced that he had ordered increased patrols on campus in response to the incidents.
