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Private K-12 Schools. At the recent National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference, several speakers used extreme, biased anti-Israel rhetoric, including falsely accusing Israel of “genocide” and downplaying the Hamas terrorist attack on 10/7. ADL and several other leading groups in the Jewish community wrote to the head of NAIS,
as did many members of the ADL community via an email campaign. The NAIS President, Debra Wilson, then reached out yesterday to "express my profound remorse over the divisive and hurtful rhetoric expressed on stage at last week’s NAIS People of Color Conference in Denver. There is no place for antisemitism at NAIS events, in our member schools, or in society."
ADL appreciates both the expressions of remorse from Wilson and the outline of new steps being instituted to avoid future incidents involving speakers at NAIS events.
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UCLA. The former chief of police at UCLA,
John Thomas, is no longer affiliated with the university. Thomas was criticized for the slow pace of his response to an anti-Israel encampment in late April, which “grew large enough to block students from accessing parts of the school for several days,” as noted in the media. It is unknown if he was let go or resigned. He had previously been removed from the role of chief, and an alternate is serving as the interim chief until a permanent selection is made.
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UCLA anti-Israel encampment in April 2024. (Photo Source: UCLA Daily Bruin) |
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MIT. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Jewish Alumni Alliance issued an open letter criticizing President Sally Kornbluth for MIT’s campus climate for Jewish students and faculty. The letter highlighted anti-Israel incidents,
specifically against Professor Daniela Rus. She was targeted by accusatory op-eds and "Wanted" posters of her that were plastered on campus. President Kornbluth did condemn these actions, but the alumni group alleges she has fostered a hostile environment. The alumni letter also included allegations of administrative bias, such as ordering students to remove Israeli flags while permitting Palestinian ones.
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LGBTQ+ Students. “Before the conflict, the Q Center felt welcoming,” said a Tufts University sophomore about the school’s LGBTQ+ center. “But after October 7, they publicly supported Palestine, and it made me feel really uncomfortable.” Jewish college and high school students are reporting feeling unwelcomed in LGBTQ+ groups,
even when the students had long been involved in those same groups before the Hamas attack on 10/7. This rift is particularly striking when you note that Israel is widely seen as the most LGBTQ+ friendly country in its region.
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Harvard. Previously a site of anti-Israel protests, this week Harvard University was the host of Jewish Studies faculty from across the U.S. who gathered to reflect on a year of post-Oct. 7
antisemitism on campuses. Scholars shared concerns about hostility, exclusionary environments and how to maintain dialogue while protecting Jewish students. As Magda Teter of Fordham University asserted, “We have to relearn to disagree with each other, not to cancel each other.” While some noted a quieter semester, others recounted firsthand encounters with antisemitism, such as menacing threats and safety fears at protests.
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Wayne State. During a meeting of Wayne State University’s Board of Governors, anti-Israel groups presented a proposal pushing for divestment.
The proposal did not garner comment from any of the board members, and a media report indicates that the protesters were visibly angry at the disinterest by board members. It is unclear whether the Michigan school has any Israel-connected investments in its endowment; school officials have not issued any information on this. The BDS effort comes months after the school was one of many across the country to host anti-Israel encampments during the Spring. Several demonstrators at the encampments were arrested at the time.
DEEPER: A report by ADL affiliate JLens estimates that universities could lose billions in future returns on their endowments if they capitulate to BDS initiatives.
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Oklahoma. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Oklahoma held a “study-in” protest,
demanding the school divest from companies that may have relationships with Israel. The group promoted the event on their social media, stating “OU funds weapons manufacturers, normalizes their presence on campus, and gives labor to them. Demand disclosure and divestment at our study-in.” The university has not yet made a statement about the protest, but did quickly remove posters and Palestinian flags the protesters scattered throughout the library. |
