House to investigate Harvard, Penn, MIT over alleged antisemitism
- University presidents were grilled by Congress on the issue
- Colleges have reported rises in antisemitism and Islamophobia
- Administrators said schools must balance discipline with free speech
Supporters of Palestine gather at Harvard University to show their support for Palestinians in Gaza at a rally in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 14, 2023. Thousands of Palestinians sought refuge on October 14 after Israel warned them to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip before an expected ground offensive against Hamas, one week on from the deadliest attack in Israeli history. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is launching a formal investigation into three universities following a hearing on antisemitism on college campuses.
Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said the committee would investigate Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and examine their policies and disciplinary procedures.
“Committee members have deep concerns with their leadership and their failure to take steps to provide Jewish students the safe learning environment they are due under law,” Foxx said.
The presidents of all three universities faced questioning from House members regarding complaints of rising antisemitism on college campuses.
Both Jewish and Muslim students have reported an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.
But there have been divisions when it comes to defining what counts as “antisemitic” rhetoric.
Some Jewish students view anti-Zionist statements or certain criticisms of Israel’s response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 as antisemitic. Other students, both non-Jewish and Jewish, say they are defending the Palestinian people and speaking out against colonialism.
During the hearing, the presidents of the universities said that actions violating school policies would be punished but that universities must balance that with promoting free speech.
Foxx said the committee would use all means possible, including subpoena power, to investigate the institutions, noting, “The disgusting targeting and harassment of Jewish students is not limited to these institutions, and other universities should expect investigations as well, as their litany of similar failures has not gone unnoticed.”
After the hearing, House Republicans passed a resolution stating that anti-Zionist rhetoric is antisemitic. Several Democrats voted against the resolution, while others voted present.
