The Education Department said Monday that the Trump administration is initiating fresh inquiries into claims of antisemitism at five American campuses, including Portland State University, Columbia University, and the University of California, Berkeley.
In contrast to the Biden administration, which resolved a number of cases with colleges in its final weeks, President Donald Trump has pledged to take a more aggressive stand against campus antisemitism and impose harsher punishments. The Justice Department launched a new task force to combat antisemitism on college campuses on the same day.
Trump urged swift action to combat anti-Jewish prejudice on campuses, including the expulsion of international students who have taken part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, in an order he signed last week.
The department is currently looking into Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota in addition to Columbia, Berkeley, and PSU. Unlike most investigations, which begin with a complaint, the cases were initiated using the department’s authority to initiate its own civil rights examinations.
Each of the five universities received a message asking for comment.
In a separate comment to The Oregonian/OregonLive, PSU stated that it was committed to maintaining a community that was safe, welcoming, and courteous to all residents.
We take these issues seriously, the statement added. The institution still backs and participates in initiatives to stop antisemitism and lessen the effects of prejudice and hatred. As we keep opening doors for communication, understanding, and support, our dedication remains firm and constant. According to the university’s understanding, the notice from the U.S. Department of Education on February 3 starts a directed investigation, meaning the new administration is the one who initiated it rather than a specific complaint from an individual. The investigation notice is not proof of a violation in and of itself. The U.S. Department of Education will have full cooperation from PSU.
In response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the Education Department issued a statement denouncing universities for allowing antisemitism. The Biden administration was also chastised for crafting weak resolutions that did not hold schools responsible.
According to Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department, “today, the Department is sending a message to universities, colleges, and K-12 schools: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses.”
Details on the inquiry and the process by which it selected which schools to target were not disclosed by the government. Last year, when Republicans pushed for responsibility for accusations of antisemitism, the presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those summoned to testify on Capitol Hill. Several university presidents, notably Minouche Shafik of Columbia, resigned as a result of the intense hearings.
According to a House Republicans report released in October, Northwestern’s negotiations with student demonstrators were a startling capitulation, and Columbia was accused of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a university building.
The additional inquiries were praised by House Republicans. The Education and Workforce Committee’s leader, Representative Tim Walberg, expressed his satisfaction that the government is at last acting to safeguard Jewish pupils.
A thorough examination of all antisemitism complaints submitted to the Education Department since October 7, 2023, including those from the Biden administration that are still ongoing or have been resolved, is another requirement of Trump’s directive. It motivates the Justice Department to act to uphold civil rights legislation.
Civil rights organizations criticized the decision last week, claiming it infringed upon the First Amendment’s protections for political expression.
The departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services are part of the new task force that was unveiled on Monday.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell stated, “The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found.” President Trump’s renewed commitment to combating anti-Semitism in our schools begins with the creation of the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism.
Written by AP Education Writer Colin Biinkley
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