George Washington University was accused by the Justice Department on Tuesday of breaking civil rights law by willfully ignoring incidents of antisemitism on campus.
Following an investigation, the DOJ wrote to the institution in Washington, D.C., stating that teachers and students who were Jewish and Israeli faced an obnoxious, severe, and pervasive hostile environment. The agency said that despite several accusations, the school did not take proper measures, citing conflicts between Jewish students and pro-Palestinian protesters last spring.
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The school was given the chance to sign a voluntary resolution agreement by the Justice Department, which threatened to take enforcement action if no deal was reached.
The letter, which was signed by assistant attorney general Harmeet K. Dhillon of the agency’s civil rights division, described the antisemitic, hate-based behavior committed by GWU students against Jewish GWU students, instructors, and staff as, in a word, startling. The actions were clearly disgusting, unethical, and—above all—illegal.
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Shannon McClendon, a spokesman for George Washington University, said in a statement that the university is now looking over the letter.
In the statement, McClendon stated that GW opposes antisemitism, which has no place on our campuses or in a civil and compassionate society. Furthermore, by maintaining a secure, courteous, and responsible atmosphere, we distinctly show our dedication to combating antisemitic behavior and fostering an inclusive campus community.
The letter makes reference to events that occurred more than a year ago, when students held rallies and encampments as part of nationwide pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in the enclave reports that more than 61,000 people, including hundreds of children, have died in Gaza since Israel began its offensive there after the Oct. 7 attacks.
The DOJ stated in the letter that students participated in protests, including setting up an encampment, between April 25, 2024, and May 2024. According to the department’s inquiry, there were many instances of harassment of Jewish students during that time. According to the letter, one Jewish student claimed that antisemitic demonstrators had told them to vacate the yard where the campsite was situated.
According to the letter, the Jewish student was told to leave by GWU’s assistant dean of students because his presence was upsetting and agitating the crowd.
According to the letter, another student claimed that after raising an Israeli flag, they were met by demonstrators who used weapons to impede their freedom of movement. For their own safety, the student was instructed to leave by a nearby school police officer. Additionally, another Jewish student who was carrying an Israeli flag reported that they were accosted by demonstrators who swore at them in a different event. According to the letter, another officer also instructed the student to leave the area.
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“The school took appropriate action, including during the encampment,” McClendon said in the statement.
McClendon stated, “We do not tolerate behavior that undermines meaningful dialogue or poses a threat to our community.”
The Justice Department’s conclusions about GWU come after the government made a similar declaration about the public university UCLA in late July. Additionally, the civil rights division claimed that after the October 7 assaults, UCLA has not sufficiently addressed allegations of harassment and abuse directed at its Israeli and Jewish students on campus. A few days later, UCLA declared that it had received notice that federal research funds would no longer be awarded to the university due to suspected antisemitism. The Trump administration then suggested a $1 billion deal with the institution last week.
James B. Milliken, president of the University of California school system, said in a statement that a payment of this magnitude would totally destroy our nation’s best public university system and cause severe harm to our students and all Californians. As a public university, we are stewards of taxpayer resources.
Free speech rights and the role of government in education have been hot topics of discussion since the Trump administration’s assault on pro-Palestinian student demonstrators and their institutions.
Last week, the Stanford Daily, the student newspaper at Stanford University, filed a lawsuit against the administration over two federal immigration law provisions that it claims officials have used against those who support Palestine, threatening to deport them and revoke their visas. In the complaint, they claim that the circumstances have resulted in censorship and free expression rights abuses.
According to a statement from Greta Reich, editor-in-chief of the Stanford Daily, there is genuine anxiety on campus that permeates the newsroom. Many of the voices of our students are disappearing from The Daily.
