{"id":2326537,"date":"2024-08-19T01:59:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T05:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/antisemitism-is-wreaking-havoc-on-ivy-league-universities\/"},"modified":"2024-08-19T02:08:58","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T06:08:58","slug":"antisemitism-is-wreaking-havoc-on-ivy-league-universities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/antisemitism-is-wreaking-havoc-on-ivy-league-universities\/","title":{"rendered":"Antisemitism Is Wreaking Havoc On Ivy League Universities"},"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\">16<\/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%2Fantisemitism-is-wreaking-havoc-on-ivy-league-universities%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=2326537&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--><p>Last week, Columbia University\u2064 President Minouche \u200dShafik announced \u2063her resignation \u200camid increasing lawsuits directed at universities for allegedly enabling antisemitic protests. Shafik is the fifth \u2063Ivy League president to step down following pro-Palestinian demonstrations on\u200b campuses that have sparked backlash and criticism \u2062regarding their handling of\u200b antisemitism.\u2063 Her administration faced severe scrutiny for its\u2064 inadequate response to disruptive \u2064protests, including an incident where protesters held a janitor hostage.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062protests have not \u2064only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-begins-kicking-out-8000-homeless-from-hotels-as-city-weathers-crime-spike\/\" title=\"New York Begins Kicking Out 8,000 Homeless From Hotels As City Weathers Crime Spike\">raised safety concerns<\/a> for Jewish students but have also led to significant donor withdrawals from prestigious universities. Prominent \u2062figures, including \u2062former governor Jon Huntsman, have publicly cut\u2063 funding to institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. <\/p>\n<p>Columbia faced further scandal earlier this summer\u200b when\u200b three \u200cadministrators were caught exchanging antisemitic messages, shedding light on deeper issues within the institution. Recently, a federal judge ruled that UCLA must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/majority-of-californians-believe-state-is-going-in-the-wrong-direction-poll\/\" title=\"Most Californians think state is heading in the wrong direction: Poll.\">ensure equal\u2062 access<\/a> for all students, particularly after it was revealed that pro-Palestinian encampments\u2062 denied Jewish students access to \u200dessential \u2062areas of campus. Similar lawsuits are ongoing at other universities, including Harvard, as Jewish students \u2062claim insufficient protection from antisemitic activities.<\/p>\n<p>Judicial responses have begun\u2063 to challenge universities&#8217;\u2062 obligations to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/university-antisemitism-task-forces-under-fire-over-staffing-and-inaction\/\" title=\"Criticism mounts against university antisemitism task forces for inadequate staffing and lack of action\">protect students&#8217; rights<\/a>, especially in the context of religious freedom, heightening the\u200d scrutiny of \u200chow \u200cthese institutions respond to protests and allegations of\u2063 discrimination.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Last week, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/education\/columbia-university-president-minouche-shafik-resigns-f683cd80?mod=education_news_article_pos1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> her resignation as lawsuits have begun to hit colleges and universities for enabling antisemitic protests last spring. She is now the fifth president of an Ivy League university who has resigned or stepped down since pro-Palestinian protests erupted on college campuses last fall. Others included the University of Pennsylvania President&nbsp;Liz Magill, Harvard University President&nbsp;Claudine Gay, and Martha Pollack, the president of Cornell University. Peter&nbsp;Salovey, the president of Yale, stepped down in June.<\/p>\n<p>Shafik was widely criticized for her inability to address antisemitism at Columbia and her timid response to the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/02\/trust-fund-kids-protesting-on-campuses-know-nothing-about-oppression\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pro-Palestinian encampment<\/a> on campus, which caused chaos and disruptions for weeks. Some of the protesters even illegally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-13368143\/columbia-university-janitor-protest-hamilton-hall.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">occupied<\/a> an academic building and held a janitor hostage &mdash; a tactic that seems straight out of the terrorist group Hamas&rsquo; playbook. Rather than shutting down the encampment, the university moved all classes online and later canceled the school&rsquo;s main commencement ceremony, a significant blow to students and their families, who deserved a celebration for such an important life milestone.<\/p>\n<p>Pro-Palestinian protesters established similar &ldquo;Gaza Solidarity Encampments&rdquo; at several other prestigious colleges and universities, compromising the safety of many Jewish students. University administrators were either unwilling or incompetent to fulfill their duties, including maintaining law and order, addressing antisemitism, and protecting Jewish students.<\/p>\n<p>The pro-Palestinian protests on campuses and university leaders&rsquo; inadequate responses have triggered a donor revolt. Former governor and current ambassador to China Jon Huntsman&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sfmcguire79\/status\/1713664285212061774\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">notified Penn<\/a> that &ldquo;the Huntsman Foundation will close its checkbook on all future giving to Penn.&rdquo; Former Victor&rsquo;s Secret billionaire Leslie Wexner&rsquo;s foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/r.search.yahoo.com\/_ylt=AwrErVOah75mYQQArOJXNyoA%3B_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny\/RV=2\/RE=1724972187\/RO=10\/RU=https:\/www.thecrimson.com\/article\/2023\/10\/17\/wexner-cuts-ties-harvard\/RK=2\/RS=nqnx8U5mMNLcZLXCl.jWC2DGmxA-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ended <\/a>its relationship and financial support for Harvard University and Harvard Kennedy School.<\/p>\n<p>In June, Columbia University was once again engulfed in a scandal when three administrators were <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CampusJewHate\/status\/1801095841932861946\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exposed<\/a> for exchanging a series of antisemitic text messages during a panel on campus Jewish life. This revelation pointed to the root cause of Columbia&rsquo;s antisemitism: the adults in charge. The scandal, which significantly damaged the university&rsquo;s standing, underscores the urgent need for action.<\/p>\n<p>Amidst the leadership resignations and donor revolts, elite schools are now facing a new challenge: lawsuits. Just in time for a new school year, a federal judge <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BECKETlaw\/status\/1823489909338054891\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled<\/a> that the University of California, Los Angeles&nbsp;must uphold equal access to programs, activities, and campus areas for all students, including Jewish students.<\/p>\n<p>Last spring, UCLA witnessed some of the most disruptive pro-Palestinian protests in the nation. The pro-Palestinian protesters established encampments and checkpoints around the so-called Jewish Exclusion Zone, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2024-05-09\/are-you-a-zionist-checkpoints-at-ucla-encampment-provoked-debate-among-jewish-students\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">preventing<\/a> &ldquo;Zionists&rdquo; (any Jewish students&nbsp;supporting the existence of Israel) from going to classes, the library, and other parts of campus.&nbsp;A <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BECKETlaw\/status\/1823490282798899464\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit<\/a> alleges that UCLA administrators, who are expected to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, contributed to these illegal encampments and checkpoints, &ldquo;both by providing metal barriers and by sending away Jewish students&mdash;while taking no effective action to ensure safe passage for Jewish students.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/education\/police-move-in-on-ucla-protesters-after-tense-standoff-5403d55c?mod=article_inline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Violent confrontations<\/a> erupted between pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel counter-protesters between late April and the beginning of May. The confrontation only ended after the Los Angeles Police Department arrested more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/education\/police-move-in-on-ucla-protesters-after-tense-standoff-5403d55c?mod=article_inline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">200 people<\/a>. This led to UCLA first canceling classes and then moving its classes online.<\/p>\n<p>In June, Becket Law and Clement and Murphy PLLC&nbsp;filed a lawsuit,&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.becketlaw.org\/case\/frankel-v-regents-of-the-university-of-california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Frankel v. Regents of the University of California<\/a><\/em>, on behalf of three current UCLA Jewish students. The lawsuit asked the court to &ldquo;put an immediate stop to UCLA&rsquo;s actions so that they could return to class free from fear that they would be harassed and excluded for being Jewish.&rdquo; UCLA <a href=\"https:\/\/prod-i.a.dj.com\/public\/resources\/documents\/ucla_filing_frankel.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">responded<\/a> by claiming that a court shouldn&rsquo;t tell the school how to deal with protests, and Jewish students have nothing to fear when classes begin this fall.<\/p>\n<p>On Aug. 13, &nbsp;U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, a Trump appointee, <a href=\"https:\/\/becketnewsite.s3.amazonaws.com\/20240813183534\/injunction.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">issued<\/a> a preliminary injunction set to take effect on Aug. 15, mandating UCLA to provide equal access for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike. The injunction states that &ldquo;if Jewish students are blocked from certain programs, activities or parts of campus, UCLA must also stop providing access to all students.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Judge Scarsi further smacked down UCLA administrators in his <a href=\"https:\/\/becketnewsite.s3.amazonaws.com\/20240813183534\/injunction.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opinion<\/a> with this memorable passage, which is worth quoting in full:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles,&nbsp;<em>Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith<\/em>. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. UCLA does not dispute this. Instead, UCLA claims that it has no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students because the exclusion was engineered by third-party protesters. But under constitutional principles, UCLA may not allow services to some students when UCLA knows that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who engineered the exclusion.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Scarsi&rsquo;s ruling came less than a week after U.S. District Judge&nbsp;Richard G. Stearns <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/education\/harvard-university-judge-denise-dismissal-of-antisemitism-lawsuit-b59a9069?mod=education_news_article_pos1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denied<\/a> Harvard University&rsquo;s motion to dismiss a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by a group of Jewish students, alleges that Harvard has failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.<\/p>\n<p>Stearns didn&rsquo;t accept Harvard&rsquo;s argument that breaking up pro-Palestinian protests on campus would infringe on the First Amendment rights of students. Judge Stearns wrote in his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberglaw.com\/public\/desktop\/document\/KestenbaumetalvPresidentandFellowsofHarvardCollegeDocketNo124cv10\/2?doc_id=X68PBS30OL08VHO7O5E58EFSTD3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">opinion<\/a> that it &ldquo;is dubious that Harvard can hide behind the First Amendment,&rdquo; and &ldquo;the facts as pled show that Harvard failed its Jewish students.&rdquo; It is noteworthy that Harvard University <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefire.org\/news\/harvard-gets-worst-score-ever-fires-college-free-speech-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received<\/a> the lowest score on the 2023 College Free Speech rankings from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expressions (FIRE). &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Scarsi and Stearns&rsquo;s rulings are welcome news for Jewish students and a warning to college and university administrators nationwide. As former Attorney General Bill Barr <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/bill-barr-moral-clarity-in-massachusetts?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">points out<\/a>, &ldquo;when it comes to combating antisemitism, talk is cheap.&rdquo; Administrators of colleges and universities will continue to face growing legal scrutiny if they let antisemitic behaviors disrupt college campuses and violate Jewish students&rsquo; constitutional rights.<\/p>\n<p>With another school year right around the corner, let&rsquo;s see if administrators of colleges and universities can find moral clarity and courage to do the right thing this time.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&amp;qid=1606079469&amp;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1606006113&amp;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is the 2nd edition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Broken-Welcome-Mat-unAmerican-immigration-ebook\/dp\/B0C44QSPJ9\/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3HFXEVT236ZRW&amp;keywords=The+Broken+welcome+mat+book&amp;qid=1683127487&amp;sprefix=the+broken+welcome+mat+book%2Caps%2C135&amp;sr=8-3\">&ldquo;The Broken Welcome Mat: America&rsquo;s UnAmerican immigration policy, and how we should fix it.&rdquo;<\/a>   Follow her on Parler and Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last week, Minouche Shafik, the President of Columbia University, announced her resignation as lawsuits have started to target colleges and universities for allowing antisemitic protests that occurred last spring. She is the fifth Ivy League university president to resign or step down since pro-Palestinian demonstrations began on campuses last fall. Other presidents who have stepped down include Liz Magill from the University of Pennsylvania, Claudine Gay from Harvard University, and Martha Pollack from Cornell University. Peter Salovey of Yale also resigned in June.<\/p>\n<p>Shafik faced significant criticism for her failure to effectively address antisemitism at Columbia and for her weak response to a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus that caused weeks of disruption. Some protesters even illegally occupied an academic building and held a janitor hostage\u2014tactics reminiscent of those used by Hamas. Instead of dismantling the encampment, the university opted to move all classes online and ultimately canceled its main commencement ceremony, disappointing students and their families who deserved a proper celebration.<\/p>\n<p>Similar &#8220;Gaza Solidarity Encampments&#8221; were set up at other prestigious institutions, jeopardizing the safety of many Jewish students. Administrators appeared either unwilling or unable to maintain order or protect Jewish students from antisemitism.<\/p>\n<p>The inadequate responses by university leaders during these protests have sparked backlash among donors. Jon Huntsman Jr., former governor and current ambassador to China, informed Penn that his foundation would cease all future donations. Similarly, Leslie Wexner&#8217;s foundation ended its financial support for Harvard University.<\/p>\n<p>In June, Columbia was embroiled in another scandal when three administrators were found exchanging antisemitic text messages during a panel discussion about Jewish life on campus\u2014a revelation highlighting systemic issues within the administration regarding antisemitism.<\/p>\n<p>As leadership changes occur alongside donor discontent, elite universities are now facing legal challenges as well. A federal judge recently ruled that UCLA must ensure equal access for all students\u2014including Jewish ones\u2014to programs and campus areas after disruptive pro-Palestinian protests took place there last spring.<\/p>\n<p>UCLA experienced some of the most intense pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the country last year when protesters established encampments around what they termed a &#8220;Jewish Exclusion Zone,&#8221; blocking access for any Jewish student supporting Israel\u2019s existence from attending classes or using campus facilities. A lawsuit claims UCLA administrators contributed to these illegal actions by providing barriers while failing to protect Jewish students&#8217; rights.<\/p>\n<p>Violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and counter-protesters occurred between late April and early May until over 200 arrests were made by police; this led UCLA first to cancel classes before moving them online entirely.<\/p>\n<p>In June 2023, Becket Law filed a lawsuit against UCLA on behalf of three current Jewish students seeking protection against harassment based on their faith while attending class. In response, UCLA argued it should not be directed by courts regarding protest management but assured that no student would face fear upon returning this fall semester.<\/p>\n<p>On August 13th U.S District Judge Mark Scarsi issued an injunction requiring equal access provisions effective August 15th stating if any group is denied access due solely because they are identified as \u201cZionists,\u201d then all groups must also be denied such privileges until rectified accordingly under constitutional law principles protecting religious freedoms\u2014an assertion strongly supported through his ruling which emphasized how unacceptable it is in America today for any student being excluded based solely upon their beliefs without institutional accountability involved therein regardless if instigated externally via third-party actors outside school jurisdiction itself!<\/p>\n<p>This ruling came shortly after U.S District Judge Richard G Stearns rejected Harvard University&#8217;s motion dismissing another lawsuit brought forth alleging failure adequately safeguard its own community members against rising incidents targeting them specifically due largely stemming out ongoing tensions surrounding recent events unfolding across various campuses nationwide including theirs too! <\/p>\n<p>Both rulings serve as encouraging news not only towards safeguarding rights belonging specifically towards those identifying themselves within Judaism but also act warning signs directed towards college\/university officials everywhere reminding them vigilance remains paramount especially amidst growing scrutiny surrounding how best handle situations involving potential violations occurring throughout educational environments where freedom expression ought remain protected above else! <\/p>\n<p>With another academic year approaching quickly ahead let us hope leaders across higher education can find moral clarity necessary take appropriate actions needed ensure everyone feels safe respected regardless background beliefs held dear!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2326538,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Shafik-e1723839750455.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[7053,5152,38379,36479,10658],"class_list":["post-2326537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-antisemitism","tag-education","tag-ivy-league","tag-social-issues","tag-universities"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Shafik-e1723839750455.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326537","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\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2326537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2326538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2326537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2326537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2326537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}