By Blake Wolf, OAN Staff
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 5:41 PM
A federal judge has ruled to dismiss a Harvard University request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by six Jewish students who claim the university “failed Jewish students.”
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The lawsuit alleges that the university was indifferent to the anti-Semitism that Jewish students faced on campus after October 7.NumberHamas terrorists have attacked Israel, killing at least 1,200 people and kidnapping hundreds more.
Judge Richard Stearns found valid the claims that the university had not responded adequately to Jewish students’ concerns about harassment.
“Protests have at times been confrontational and physically violent, and plaintiffs are understandably fearful for their reputations,” Stearns wrote.[P]Plaintiffs allege that they were subjected to severe, pervasive and objectively offensive harassment.”
The judge went on to argue that Harvard’s response was “at best indecisive, indecisive, and at times internally contradictory.”
A Harvard spokesperson responded to the news, saying, “The University has taken and will continue to take concrete steps to address the root causes of anti-Semitism on campus, protect Jewish and Israeli students, and ensure that they can receive an education free from harassment and discrimination.”
In filing a motion to allow the case to proceed, the judge also noted that “the alleged facts demonstrate that Harvard University has failed its Jewish students.”
UCLA, New York University and Columbia University are among the universities facing lawsuits in the aftermath of pro-Palestinian campus protests.
Stearns further criticized Harvard for selectively enforcing campus policies, concluding that while “there are instances in which students have been punished for violating various Harvard policies, no disciplinary action has been taken against students who have allegedly engaged in anti-Semitic behavior.”
Meanwhile, plaintiff Alexander Kestenbaum was pleased with Judge Stearns’ outcome.
“We are pleased that the judge has recognized what we have been saying for months: Harvard has tolerated, normalized and celebrated a culture of anti-Semitism on its campus,” Kestenbaum said.
The January lawsuit was filed eight days after Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned after coming under heavy criticism for her handling of anti-Semitic activity on campus.
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