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WASHINGTON: The federal government has opened civil rights investigations into seven schools and universities over allegations of antisemitism or Islamophobia since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
The list includes three Ivy League institutions – Columbia, Cornelland the University of Pennsylvania – along with Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York.It also includes one K-12 system, the Maize Unified School District in Kansas.
The education department announced the inquiries on Thursday, calling it part of the Biden administration’s effort to take “aggressive action” against discrimination. Schools found to have violated civil rights law can face penalties up to a total loss of federal money, although the vast majority of cases end in voluntary settlements. Schools have a legal duty to act “when students are targeted because they are – or are perceived to be – Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh or any other ethnicity or shared ancestry,” education secretary Miguel Cardona said.
Five of the investigations are in response to allegations of antisemitic harassment, while two are in response to allegations of anti-Muslim harassment, the department said. The agency did not disclose which schools faced which accusations. Most schools either declined to speak on the investigations or did not respond to requests for comment.
The list includes three Ivy League institutions – Columbia, Cornelland the University of Pennsylvania – along with Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York.It also includes one K-12 system, the Maize Unified School District in Kansas.
The education department announced the inquiries on Thursday, calling it part of the Biden administration’s effort to take “aggressive action” against discrimination. Schools found to have violated civil rights law can face penalties up to a total loss of federal money, although the vast majority of cases end in voluntary settlements. Schools have a legal duty to act “when students are targeted because they are – or are perceived to be – Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh or any other ethnicity or shared ancestry,” education secretary Miguel Cardona said.
Five of the investigations are in response to allegations of antisemitic harassment, while two are in response to allegations of anti-Muslim harassment, the department said. The agency did not disclose which schools faced which accusations. Most schools either declined to speak on the investigations or did not respond to requests for comment.
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