Education Secretary Miguel Cardona sent a letter to college and university presidents on Friday condemning what he called an “abhorrent” anti-Semitic incident on campus. This is the Biden administration's latest response to ongoing protests across the country.
Mr. Cardona's letter was sent a day after President Biden's brief speech in which he harshly criticized aspects of the protests, including isolated acts of violence and vandalism, in a harsh tone from the administration.
In a letter first reported by CNN, Cardona said he was “deeply concerned by reports of anti-Semitic hatred directed at students on some campuses as the 2023-2024 academic year draws to a close.” I continue to do so.”
Cardona cited reports from Jewish students of physical assault and harassment in recent days, including anti-Semitic comments and abuse, and swastikas placed on dorm room doors.
“This and other incidents are abhorrent, rightly so,” he wrote. “They have no place on our college campuses.”
Cardona said there has been a “spike in reports of anti-Semitism targeting Jewish students on some college campuses.”
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Department of Education (DOE) Office of Civil Rights has opened more than 100 investigations into complaints of anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination under Title VI.
Cardona said the DOE is “enthusiastic to provide additional resources” to higher education leaders.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have broken out on college campuses in recent weeks, including some whose leaders have faced harsh criticism from House Republicans over their handling of the situation. included.
Most protests denounce anti-Semitism and do not explicitly support Hamas, but some incidents have become part of a larger controversy surrounding the demonstrations.
Columbia University has expelled from campus a student movement leader who said “Zionists have no right to live.'' A video of protest organizer Kaimani James was seen saying earlier this year that people should be grateful that he did not engage in “murdering Zionists”. He later apologized for his remarks.
As protests continue, there are growing calls for the Biden administration to do more to address anti-Semitism on campus. The House of Representatives this week approved a bill aimed at cracking down on anti-Semitism by requiring the Department of Energy to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of anti-Semitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws.
Since October 7, the Anti-Defamation League has reported an unprecedented rise in anti-Semitism in the United States.
The demonstrations affected many schools for the rest of the school year. Columbia University has moved to a hybrid learning style for the remainder of the academic year for the safety of the campus community, and the University of Southern California has canceled major commencement events.
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