Jewish students sue Harvard over anti-Semitism on campus

Six students say in a lawsuit they felt unsafe because Harvard didn’t punish anti-Semitic student protesters and faculty members.

Supporters of Palestine gather in Harvard Yard to show their support for Palestinians in Gaza at a rally in Cambridge. Picture: AFP

A group of Jewish students sued Harvard University, saying it allowed the school to become a bastion of anti-Semitism.

The six students said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Massachusetts federal court that they felt unsafe on campus because Harvard didn’t punish anti-Semitic student protesters and faculty members.

Harvard has been embroiled in controversy since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Pro-Palestinian students have repeatedly protested on the Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus. Its former president, Claudine Gay, drew criticism for initially failing to condemn Hamas after its attack on Israel on October 7 and later resigned in part over the furore.

Former Harvard University president Claudine Gay. Picture: AFP

Universities across the US have been divided by the war. A wave of pro-Palestinian protests have swept schools, with demonstrators saying they believed the war was a fight between the oppressed and their oppressors.

Federal education officials have opened investigations into Harvard and several other colleges for race- and religion-based harassment since the war began. A House committee is investigating Harvard over anti-Jewish activity.

Harvard has previously said it would work with the Education Department’s civil-rights office to address their questions. Dr Gay said in a video message to the university community on Oct. 12 that Harvard rejects terrorism, hate and harassment based on a person’s beliefs.

Supporters of Palestine gather at Harvard University. Picture: AFP

Harvard and lawyers for the students didn’t immediately return requests for comment Thursday.

The students’ lawsuit said Harvard has allowed students to carry out antisemitic protests and let professors intimidate students who object to anti-Semitism in the classroom. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Alexander Kestenbaum, a master’s student in the divinity school, and five unnamed students in the law and public health schools.

The lawsuit said Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars programs that receive federal funding — including Harvard — from discriminating on the basis of race, colour or national origin. They also said the school wasn’t enforcing its own non-discrimination policy.

“What is most striking about all of this is Harvard’s abject failure and refusal to lift a finger to stop and deter this outrageous anti-Semitic conduct,” the lawsuit said.

The students are suing the Harvard Corporation, one of the school’s two boards. The board has 12 members including its interim president, Alan Garber.

Dr Garber said this week he wants the campus to “bridge the fissures that have weakened our sense of community.”

The Wall Street Journal