Students Sue Harvard, Calling It a ‘Bastion’ of Antisemitism
Like other schools, Harvard has been roiled by demonstrations and confrontations between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students since the conflict broke out. In December, the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology testified at a congressional hearing investigating campus antisemitism. Harvard’s president at the time, Claudine Gay, the first Black person in that role, faced fierce backlash over her remarks, which were among the factors leading to her resignation this month.
Harvard is also among a growing list of universities facing federal civil rights investigations into allegations of antisemitism.
The school did not immediately respond to a request for comment and declined to provide a comment to The Harvard Crimson, the campus newspaper, citing pending litigation.
Previously, the university has said it does not tolerate any form of antisemitism. Before Gay’s resignation, she said in a statement: My administration has repeatedly made crystal clear that antisemitism and other forms of hate have no place at Harvard. Threats and intimidation have no place at Harvard.
The 77-page complaint filed by Alexander Kestenbaum, a Jewish student enrolled at Harvard Divinity School, and five other plaintiffs accuses Harvard of deliberately reducing the enrollment of Jewish students. The case, represented by two law firms, alleges that there was a substantial drop in the Jewish student population over a decade, indicating a deliberate effort by Harvard to minimize it.
The complaint highlights numerous instances of alleged antisemitism dating back to 2016. It points to a screening at Harvard Divinity School last September of the film Israelism, which argues that American Jews raise their children with pro-Israel indoctrination. The lawsuit claims that the screening caused Kestenbaum to suffer anxiety and discomfort and that applause rather than denunciation followed the display of antisemitic tropes.
Harvard’s double standard starts at the top, the plaintiffs state in their suit. They argue that while the school disciplines students for behavior deemed disfavored, such as sizeism or racism, it allows advocacy for the murder of Jews and the destruction of Israel without consequences.
The case against Harvard relies partly on an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in 2019, stating that a section of the Civil Rights Act applies to discrimination against Jews in federally funded institutions.
Harvard now joins New York University and the University of Pennsylvania as targets of lawsuits filed by Kasowitz Benson Torres, a New York-based law firm known for its ties to the Trump administration.
Harvard’s reputation as a prestigious institution is now marred by these allegations and the pending civil rights investigation. The outcome of this lawsuit will likely have significant implications for the university and its efforts to address issues of antisemitism on campus.
As this legal battle unfolds, it will further highlight the complex and contentious nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its impact on college campuses across the United States. The clash between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students continues to test the limits of free speech and expression, raising important questions about how universities can foster a respectful and inclusive environment while protecting the rights of all students.
Disclaimer: The above article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency or organization.
