American University is reeling from a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing it of condoning rising anti-Semitism on its D.C. campus and discriminating against Jewish students.
Brandeis Human Rights Center make a complaint to The complaint says the U.S. Department of Education filed the complaint on behalf of Jewish students who experienced “persistent and threatening anti-Semitic comments and acts” on AU's campus.
“Jewish students are shunned and marginalized in the classroom by their peers and faculty,” the complaint, filed with the department's civil rights division, says.
“Anti-Israel protests are preventing these students from attending classes and moving freely around campus. Innocent men, women, and children taken hostage by the terrorist organization Hamas. posters are being continuously torn down by anti-Israel students.
One of the most egregious examples cited involved one of the AU professors, who spent class time sharing photos of anti-Israel marches shown on a large screen. The professor even praised anti-Israel protests.
One of the photos showed a Star of David in a trash can with the caption, “Let's clean up the world.”
The professor then conspicuously stared at a Jewish student in the class, causing many of his classmates to turn and glare at him. According to the complaint, the Jewish student left class crying.
In another incident, a student shouted at a Jewish classmate and accused him of “genocide.”
“I don't want to sit on the same side of the room as this Zionist… You have blood on your hands. You are responsible for the genocide,” the student said.
According to the complaint, neither the professor nor the administration mentioned this behavior.
Instead of helping victims of anti-Semitism, the AU even harassed them, according to the complaint.
Several Jewish students are facing disciplinary hearings for recording themselves on cell phones tearing down posters of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas after the October 7 invasion.
The Jewish students said that when they first reported the violation to university authorities, they were told the school needed documentation for an investigation, so they filmed other students removing the posters.
Instead, the university launched an investigation into harassment and disorderly conduct against Jewish students and threatened them with disciplinary action if they provided evidence of vandalism, the complaint alleges.
Some Jewish students were told their study abroad programs could be canceled, but the vandals were not punished, according to the complaint.
“Shamefully, AU has repeatedly chosen to turn a blind eye to the snowballing anti-Semitism on campus,” said Kenneth Marcus, founder and president of the Brandeis Center. .
“Jewish students need consistent support from university administrators, not harassment, to stand up to anti-Semitism,” said Julia Jassy, co-founder and CEO of Jews on Campus. “I have a right to receive it,” he said.
“We take these issues and concerns in AU's Jewish community seriously and are reviewing and addressing them,” said Matt Bennett, AU's vice president of communications. We will cooperate with any inquiries regarding our efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
“American University has always been and continues to support the safety, well-being, and sense of belonging of Jewish students, a community that is an essential part of the fabric of the university… Making progress in the fight against anti-Semitism. While we have done well, we know it: There is more work to be done.”
There was no immediate comment from the Department of Education.
The department is currently investigating Brandeis Center complaints filed with the federal government against Brooklyn College, Wellesley School, New York University New Paltz, University of Southern California (USC), and University of Illinois.
The department is also investigating discrimination claims involving Rutgers University, Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Diego, the University of Washington in Seattle, Whitman College in Washington, Harvard University, Cornell University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. There is. .
