The Department of Justice (DOJ) has determined that George Washington University (GWU) is “deliberately indifferent” towards anti-Semitism on campus, thereby violating federal civil rights laws.
On Tuesday, the DOJ released a statement indicating that “GWU has shown deliberate indifference to complaints about anti-Semitism targeting Jewish students, as well as U.S. and Israeli students and faculty.” It highlighted that GWU has not taken any significant steps to address anti-Semitism present on its campus.
The investigation by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division followed Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race or national origin among recipients of federal funds.
According to findings from the investigation, GWU failed to respond effectively to complaints and was intentionally indifferent to the reported misconduct and the impact on Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. The DOJ is calling for immediate corrective actions from GWU regarding these civil rights violations.
“Every student should have the right to access educational opportunities without facing harassment,” stated Harm Dillon, the Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, emphasizing that “no one is exempt from the law.”
Shannon McClendon, a spokesman for GWU, stated that the university had been “eager to” collaborate with its Jewish community and mentioned efforts to protect the university’s environment from anti-Semitism. This was reported by Politics.
“We have taken appropriate actions in line with university policies and laws to hold accountable those who threaten the community. We don’t condone actions that disrupt meaningful dialogue,” McClendon noted. “We are actively working alongside Jewish community organizations and authorities to safeguard our community from anti-Semitism, and we remain committed to ensuring all students can pursue equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment.”
A letter from Dillon to GWU President Ellen M. Grunberg indicated that the DOJ has found “GWU was intentionally indifferent to hostile educational environments” affecting Jewish and Israeli students.
Dillon mentioned that the DOJ is giving GWU a chance to enter into voluntary resolutions to ensure immediate improvements and prevent future discrimination.
The university has received similar warnings in the past and has lost considerable federal funding as a result.
In March, Breitbart News reported that the DOJ plans to dispatch a federal task force to investigate anti-Semitism at ten universities nationwide, including Columbia University, Harvard University, and New York University.
Additionally, in February, civil rights lawyer Leo Terrell was selected to lead an anti-Semitism task force.
