{"id":2196186,"date":"2024-03-11T05:20:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T09:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/middlebury-students-tried-to-host-a-vigil-for-victims-of-oct-7-attack-administrators-told-them-to-remove-the-word-jewish\/"},"modified":"2024-03-11T05:23:26","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T09:23:26","slug":"middlebury-students-tried-to-host-a-vigil-for-victims-of-oct-7-attack-administrators-told-them-to-remove-the-word-jewish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/middlebury-students-tried-to-host-a-vigil-for-victims-of-oct-7-attack-administrators-told-them-to-remove-the-word-jewish\/","title":{"rendered":"Middlebury students wanted to hold a vigil for Oct. 7 attack victims, but administrators asked them to exclude the word &#8216;Jewish"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">42<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmiddlebury-students-tried-to-host-a-vigil-for-victims-of-oct-7-attack-administrators-told-them-to-remove-the-word-jewish%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2196186&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Discrimination Against Jewish Students at Middlebury College<\/h2>\n<p>On October 10, just\u200b days after Hamas had \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-accused-of-locking-woman-in-cell-in-oregon-faces-rape-kidnapping-charges-in-separate-case\/\" title=\"Oregon man accused of imprisoning woman in cell now faces charges of rape and kidnapping in unrelated case.\">committed heinous acts<\/a>\u200d of violence\u2064 against \u2062Israelis, Jewish students at Middlebury College sought to \u2063organize a vigil\u200b to honor the victims.\u2062 However,\u2064 their \u200befforts were met with\u200d resistance from the dean of students, \u200cDerek Doucet, who wanted to remove any references to \u2063Judaism in order to make the event more &#8220;inclusive.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Some suggestions that \u2063might help are stating that\u200d this gathering\u200b is to honor &#8216;all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-republicans-want-cuomo-impeachment-findings-made-public\/\" title=\"New York Republicans Want Cuomo Impeachment Findings Made Public\">innocent lives lost<\/a>,&#8217; and including a reference to \u200bthe &#8216;tragedies that have struck Israel and Gaza.&#8217; He \u2063added that \u200dcalls for \u200bsolidarity \u2064with Jews \u200bcould trigger &#8216;unhelpful\u2064 reactions.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ironically, less than a\u2063 month\u2062 later,\u200d Middlebury&#8217;s Muslim Students Association hosted a \u200d&#8221;Vigil for Palestine&#8221; that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/southern-baptists-vote-to-remain-faithful-to-biblical-teaching\/\" title=\"Southern Baptists affirm commitment to biblical doctrine.\">received full support<\/a> from the school&#8217;s administration. The stark\u2064 contrast in treatment between the two events highlights the discrimination faced by Jewish\u200b students at Middlebury.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Standing in solidarity,&#8221; the Muslim student group \u2064wrote in an Instagram post promoting the\u200b event. &#8220;Together, we honor Palestine.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This\u200b shocking example of discrimination\u2064 is\u2063 outlined in a federal \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-organization-plans-to-provide-parents-with-tools-to-combat-woke-indoctrination-in-schools\/\" title=\"New Organization Plans To Provide Parents With Tools To Combat \u2018Woke Indoctrination\u2019 In Schools\">civil rights complaint<\/a> filed against \u200cMiddlebury\u200b by the pro-Israel nonprofit StandWithUs.\u2062 The complaint alleges that \u2063the college created a hostile environment for Jewish students by \u2063ignoring their \u200cconcerns and impeding their efforts to combat campus anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n<h3>Investigation and \u200dAllegations<\/h3>\n<p>The Department of Education&#8217;s\u200b Office of Civil Rights \u200dhas opened an investigation into Middlebury based on the complaint. \u200cThe allegations include not only tolerating anti-Semitism but \u200dactively discriminating against Jewish \u200cstudents by denying them the same \u200baccommodations as\u200d their Muslim\u2063 and Christian\u200d peers.<\/p>\n<p>For instance,\u200d Middlebury funds and recognizes multiple Christian clubs\u2064 and \u2062the Muslim\u200c Students Association, but has refused to recognize Chabad, an orthodox Jewish organization. The school has also been reluctant to\u2062 provide kosher food options for \u2063Jewish students.<\/p>\n<h3>Unequal \u200bTreatment<\/h3>\n<p>The school&#8217;s unequal treatment extends \u200cto events as well. \u2062While Middlebury\u200b resisted calls\u200d for police presence and discouraged the display of\u2064 Israeli flags at the Jewish vigil, it\u200b provided a police car \u200dand a large event space for the\u200b Palestinian vigil.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Middlebury&#8217;s administration seems to\u200c have ideological\u200d sympathies that favor the Palestinian cause. A\u2063 statement released by the college \u2064appeared to endorse the \u2062Palestinian \u2062&#8221;struggle for liberation,&#8221; and the school has been accused of covering up its \u200ddisturbing response to anti-Semitism charges.<\/p>\n<h3>Attempts \u2063to Rewrite History<\/h3>\n<p>The college has also\u200c discouraged students \u200dfrom documenting their conversations \u2064with administrators. \u200bAfter\u200b a \u200dJewish student met with\u2063 Middlebury&#8217;s provost, Michelle \u2062McCauley, to address anti-Semitic incidents,\u2062 the student&#8217;s\u2063 recap of the meeting was\u200d dismissed and criticized. Instead, \u2063a recap produced by\u2064 Khuram Hussain, the diversity official who spoke at the\u2064 Gaza vigil, downplayed the student&#8217;s concerns.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 complaint concludes that Middlebury&#8217;s administration has not\u200d only failed to\u2062 address \u200bits\u200b anti-Semitism problem but\u2062 has actively tried to\u2063 hide \u2062and\u2063 deny its\u200d existence. The college serves as a prime\u200b example of a\u200d campus where hostility\u200b towards Jews and\u200b Israelis is allowed to thrive.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How has the discrimination\u2064 faced by Jewish students \u2064at Middlebury College impacted their \u2064academic and personal\u2062 wellbeing?<\/h2>\n<p><span> <\/h3>\n<p>An investigation into \u2063the allegations of discrimination against Jewish \u200cstudents at \u2062Middlebury\u2062 College \u200cis currently underway. \u200bThe complaint argues that the school administration, including Dean Derek Doucet, \u2063has displayed a clear bias against Jewish students by obstructing their freedom of expression \u2064and diminishing the significance \u200dof their grievances. Such actions not only undermine the principles of \u200binclusivity \u2063and \u2064diversity that the institution claims to promote but also perpetuate a hostile \u200benvironment for Jewish students\u200d on campus.<\/p>\n<p>This incident\u200c is not an isolated \u2064occurrence. Jewish \u200bstudents at Middlebury have consistently faced a series of discrimination on \u200bcampus, \u2064ranging from verbal harassment to exclusion\u200b from certain events and activities. The college&#8217;s failure to address these issues effectively has created an environment that undermines the wellbeing and sense of\u200c belonging for Jewish students.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the \u2063differential treatment between the \u200cproposed vigil for\u200b Israel&#8217;s \u2062victims and\u200c the &#8220;Vigil for Palestine&#8221; further highlights the bias against Jewish students. \u200dWhile\u2063 one group was encouraged\u2063 to express solidarity and honor their cause, \u2063the\u2064 other was met with attempts at erasure and exclusion. This discrepancy in support sends a troubling message \u200cto\u2063 Jewish students\u2062 and undermines their \u2064right to have their voices heard and their experiences validated.<\/p>\n<h3>Impact on\u200b Jewish Students<\/h3>\n<p>The\u200b implications of this\u2064 discrimination on Jewish students cannot\u200d be \u2062understated. These incidents\u2063 contribute to feelings of marginalization and alienation, \u2064which can adversely affect their academic and personal wellbeing. The denial of their right to visibly mourn the loss\u200b of innocent lives and the censorship of their \u200bJewish\u2063 identity sends the message that their perspectives \u200dand experiences \u200dare not valued at Middlebury College.<\/p>\n<p>By not addressing and rectifying these systemic \u200cissues, \u2062Middlebury College risks creating an environment where discrimination against Jewish students can persist unchecked. It is\u200d crucial that the administration takes immediate \u200dand \u2062concrete \u200dsteps to \u2062dismantle these discriminatory practices and foster an environment that is truly inclusive and supportive for all\u2062 students, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.<\/p>\n<h3>Call \u200cfor \u2062Action<\/h3>\n<p>The current investigation provides\u2063 an opportunity\u200d for Middlebury College\u200b to\u200d demonstrate \u200cits commitment to combating discrimination and promoting equitable treatment of \u2062all \u200dstudents. The school must\u2063 take proactive measures to \u2062address the concerns raised in the civil rights complaint and ensure that \u2063Jewish students are able \u2064to enjoy their rights and freedoms \u200dwithout fear of prejudice or bias.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Middlebury College should take steps to educate the campus \u200ccommunity about the history\u2064 and impact of anti-Semitism,\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-shame-of-academe\/\" title=\"Academia's Shame\">promote interfaith dialogue<\/a> and understanding, and\u200d actively engage with Jewish student organizations\u200b to address their \u200bspecific needs and concerns. By doing so, the school can foster\u200b an environment \u2063of respect, acceptance, and inclusivity for all members of \u2064its\u200d community.<\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The\u2063 discrimination faced by Jewish students at Middlebury College \u2063is a deeply concerning\u2063 issue that cannot be ignored. \u2063The \u200dschool&#8217;s administration must \u2063confront the systemic biases that perpetuate this discrimination and\u200c take swift, meaningful \u2062action to rectify the situation. Middlebury\u200c College has an obligation to ensure that all students feel\u2063 safe, supported,\u200c and valued \u200bon their campus, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. By \u200daddressing \u2062these issues \u200beffectively, the college \u200bcan work toward creating an inclusive\u2064 and affirming environment for \u2063all \u200cits students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On October 10, three days after Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped many others, Jewish students at Middlebury College sought to arrange a vigil. They approached Derek Doucet, Middlebury&#8217;s dean of students, sharing a poster draft for the event. The administrators at the prestigious institution were invited to participate<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":184,"featured_media":2196187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/MixCollage-07-Mar-2024-03-47-PM-7080.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2196186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/MixCollage-07-Mar-2024-03-47-PM-7080.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2196186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/184"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2196186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2196186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2196187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2196186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2196186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2196186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}