A Jewish student at Columbia University is suing the university, claiming there has been an “explosion” of anti-Semitism since the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, according to reports.
Mackenzie Forrest, a 23-year-old graduate student, filed a lawsuit against the Ivy League organization, claiming she was discriminated against because she is an Orthodox Jew and observes the Sabbath. Bloomberg News reported. Forrest said protests calling for a manifesto of Jewish genocide and anti-Semitism at the school of social work, where she studied, created an “intensely hostile” environment after Hamas’ attack on the Jewish state.
Forrest alleges that the school “violated federal and state anti-discrimination laws prohibiting discrimination and retaliation against Jews” and failed to enforce its own rules of conduct to prevent discrimination. He said his rights under Title VI of the Act had been violated. “Anti-Semitic harassment, intimidation, intimidation, and hostile environment.” The Columbia Spectator reported.
“Columbia University has failed Ms. MacKenzie and has decided to launch a campaign of retaliation instead of protecting her from Jewish hatred,” said Brooke Goldstein, founder and executive director of the Lawfare Project. “If the university had provided her with the appropriate environment she was legally entitled to, this situation would not have arisen. Like all universities, Columbia University protects the civil rights of its students and We must provide a safe learning environment and be free from discrimination. ”
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest in front of Columbia University in New York City on February 2, 2024. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/VIEWpress)
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The move came on the same day that Columbia University was added to a U.S. House committee investigation into campus anti-Semitism. On Monday, the committee sent a letter to Columbia University and its trustees saying that at least 1,200 Israelis have been killed and that in the weeks and months since the October attack, It requested documents and information about various incidents that it believed showed the school failed to protect Jewish students. Over 250 hostages were captured.
As reported by Bloomberg, the complaint states that events in Israel and Gaza “have led to an explosion of anti-Semitism on Columbia’s campus, making it unsafe for Jewish students, at least temporarily.” There is. “Colombia has become a “war zone” for the United States.” [Mackenzie] That’s just because she’s Jewish. ”
Due to the campus environment, Ms. Forrest asked to continue her graduate program remotely, but the school “did not believe that concerns for her personal safety merited consideration” and instead moved her to the program’s field place. I told her that she was at risk of failing the mento part. .
Pro-Israel demonstrators participate in a counter-demonstration at Columbia University on Thursday, October 12, 2023, in New York City, New York. Amid calls for worldwide protests, dueling demonstrations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel student groups were held on campus. Regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
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The Columbia Spectator also reported that Forrest’s supervisor allegedly told him that “only one person was in danger” and that it was an “unreasonable request.” As a result, she was not allowed to attend classes via Zoom. [CSSW] “We had previously allowed other students to take certain classes online,” the complaint said, adding, “We had previously allowed other students to take certain classes online,” adding, “We had previously allowed other students to take certain classes online,” adding, “We had previously allowed other students to take certain classes online.” “All students were allowed to attend classes online.”
Additionally, before accepting a position in the program, Ms. Forrest told Professor Andre Ivanov, director of the graduate program, that she would keep the Sabbath but would do “what is necessary to be successful in the DBT program.” he said.
“That’s a problem,” Ivanov responded, according to the complaint. “Well, it’s not a problem, but it is a problem,” Ivanov is said to have said afterward.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators participate in a protest at Columbia University on Thursday, October 12, 2023 in New York City, New York. Amid calls for global protests against the Palestinian Authority, dueling demonstrations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel student groups were hosted on campus. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
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Ultimately, Ms. Forrest withdrew from the program on December 14th, but “CSSW administrators to the end tried to characterize Ms. McKee’s withdrawal from the DBT program as her choice – even if… even if in fact this was not the case,” the complaint states.
Similar lawsuits have been filed by students at Harvard University, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California, Berkeley.
Columbia University declined to comment to Fox News Digital.
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