Since October 7, demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war disrupted the American education system. The uproar was particularly violent on university campuses, where anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents are increasing.
Now the federal authorities are intervening.
The Department of Education confirmed Thursday that since the war began, its Office for Civil Rights has opened seven investigations related to allegations of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim harassment at six middle schools and one K-12 school district. . They are accused of violating federal laws prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on a person’s common ancestry or ethnic characteristics. Schools must follow these laws receive federal funding.
Six of these schools are colleges or universities, mostly urban schools in the Northeast. Three of them are Ivy League colleges, a class of selective schools that has drawn particular anger amid disruptive protests. Seventh is a K-12 school district in Maize, Kansas. Most schools confirmed to USA TODAY on Friday that the Department of Education had recently informed them of the investigations.
The Education Department’s involvement in – and eagerness to tout – its investigations into the numerous schools where protests and student activities have degenerated into various states of chaos in recent weeks speaks to the growing pressure facing officials national governments to respond to the now omnipresent feelings of anxiety. and fear among many Jewish and Muslim Americans.
The unease of the past month has largely morphed into pointed anger directed at America’s schools — the very places charged with the increasingly difficult task of educating young people about complex topics, while protecting them from being targeted for what they are.
A Department of Education spokesperson declined to comment further on the cases, citing ongoing investigations.
During an appearance on ABC’s “The View” Friday morning, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the department has received more complaints related to anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim harassment over the past year. last month than all of last year. He pledged to be transparent about future investigations.
“We anticipate a lot more,” he said.
What is happening now?
Discrimination on campus is not new. Before Hamas’s attacks on Israel last month, the federal agency opened other investigations into colleges and schools regarding anti-Semitic or Islamophobic incidents.
In now-resolved case involving alleged anti-Semitism at University of Vermont, the institution was required to update its equal opportunity and anti-harassment policies and procedures and publish a statement that it does not tolerate acts of discrimination, including harassment, “on the basis of common ancestry and ethnic characteristics, including anti-Semitism.” It was also necessary to conduct a survey on what students and staff think about the environment on campus.
It is unclear how long the seven new investigations will last or what, if any, consequences colleges and schools will face.
Here’s what else we know:
Case 1: Cooper Union
An investigation into Cooper Union, a private college in New York, was opened on November 15, according to the Department of Education.
The school made headlines in late October after a video went viral showing Jewish students crowded into a library while about two dozen pro-Palestinian student protesters slammed the door.
Local politicians, notably Manhattan Borough President and New York Rep. Ritchie Torres quickly condemned what they interpreted as harassment of Jewish students. But at a press conference the next day, New York police officials said that Jewish students were not barricaded inside the library and that there was no danger to them. them throughout the event.
The college did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Case 2: University of Pennsylvania
The department opened another investigation Nov. 15 into the University of Pennsylvania, which has been the target of efforts to harass some students, as well as a revolt of his rich former students.
Former U.S. Ambassador and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who has donated millions of dollars to the university, told the school’s president in an October email. obtained by campus newspaperthe Daily Pennsylvanian, that the school had become “deeply adrift in a way that makes it almost unrecognizable” after, in his view, failing to respond adequately to the war in its early stages.
“Moral relativism has fueled the race to the bottom of academia and has unfortunately reached a point where remaining impartial is no longer an option,” he said. wrote.
A junior was recently arrested and charged with theft after allegedly stealing an Israeli flag, the newspaper reported.
The complaint was filed by the Brandeis Center, a Jewish civil rights organization which has filed other complaints about anti-Semitism on college campuses, including some of the complaints involved in the seven new investigations.
Spokesman Steve Silverman said in an email to USA TODAY that the university received the letter informing administrators of the federal investigation and looked forward to fully cooperating with the department.
“President (Liz) Magill has made clear that anti-Semitism is despicable and pernicious and has no place at Penn,” he said, adding, “the University will continue to vigilantly combat anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred.
Case 3: Columbia University
Faculty and students at Columbia University, a private Ivy League college in Manhattan, New York, which is another target of an open investigation, expressed outrage last week after administrators at the ‘university decided to cut funding to two anti-Zionist student groups.
The clubs — Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace — violated university policies during recent protests, according to Gerald Rosberg, the school’s senior executive vice president.
The new president of the university announced a working group on anti-Semitism and one resource group for doxxed students earlier this month. A university spokesperson declined to comment further on the investigation.
Banned:Columbia University suspends pro-Palestinian and Jewish student clubs
Case 4: Cornell University
Anti-Semitic threats at Cornell University, a private university in upstate New York, finally led to police intervention late last month. Posts on a Greek life forum called for the murder and rape of Jewish students.
According to prosecutorsPatrick Dai, a 21-year-old Cornell student, admitted in a seven-hour interview with the FBI that he used social media to threaten to behead Jewish students and attack a kosher dining hall.
A university spokesperson had no further comment on the Department of Education’s investigation, which opened Nov. 16.
Case 5: Lafayette College
An investigation into Lafayette College, a private liberal arts school in Easton, Pennsylvania, also came to light Thursday. In an email to USA TODAY, spokesman Scott Morse said administrators were perplexed as to why the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights was looking into the college.
“We do not know why OCR decided to include the College in this investigation,” Morse said. “On the contrary, just last week, students of differing views shared a peaceful gathering on campus to honor all those who have died in the recent violence in the Middle East.”
He said the university rejects all hate speech, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and will cooperate fully with the federal government.
Case 6: Corn Unified School District
The only K-12 school district in the federal government’s crosshairs is the Maize Unified School District, located in a Kansas town of a few thousand people.
Spokeswoman Lori Buselt said the district was informed of the investigation Thursday evening and would cooperate fully and take the discrimination allegations seriously.
“The school district is committed to providing a place for teaching and learning that prioritizes and champions respect and inclusion and where all students and employees feel safe and valued,” Buselt said.
Choosing a college is difficult.The war between Israel and Hamas makes things more difficult
Case 7: Wellesley College
Stacey Schmeidel, a spokeswoman for Wellesley College, said in an email to USA TODAY that the complaint against the private Massachusetts liberal arts school was also filed by the Brandeis Center.
At the Brandeis Center letter to the Ministry of Educationlawyers for the Jewish advocacy group said an email was sent to dorm residents by student residence counselors in October saying, “‘there should be no space, no consideration and no support for Zionism within the Wellesley College community.’ »
On October 20, Wellesley President Paula Johnson said in a statement that administrators met with these students about the incident. They later apologized.
“The fact that these young leaders were able to learn from this episode gives me hope,” she said.
Zachary Schermele is a breaking news and education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele.
