Do you feel safe on your college or university campus?

If you answered “yes” to that question, you're lucky—and chances are that you're not Jewish. While students everywhere experience discrimination and prejudice for a panoply of reasons, the recent ratcheting-up of conflict in the Middle East has made Jewish people around the world feel as though they and their community are in the crosshairs.

The Hamas-led Palestinian attacks on Israel and Israelis in October 2023 have had global effects, of course. Here in the United States, those effects have manifested in a tsunami of antisemitic sentiment and harassment.

If you're a student who has been attacked because of your Jewish faith, perceived or actual—or who's been the target of Islamophobia—there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your education. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888.535.3686 or send a message by clicking here.

On Campus, In the News

The conditions on many U.S. college campuses are always ripe for rising tensions, even in more peaceful times. After the brutal and polarizing clash between Israelis and Hamas-led Palestinians began in October, however, the atmospheres on university and college campuses have been especially fractious.

Demonstrations have sprung up all over the nation, with tempers flaring on all sides. Local chapters of Hillel, a global foundation serving Jewish students on university and college campuses, have been the target of vandalism—as have Jewish fraternity houses. Many students report that they're skittish about wearing kippot, any jewelry or clothing with a star-of-David motif, or any other accouterment that signifies their ties to Judaism. And there have been untold accounts of antisemitic taunts, threats, verbal and physical assaults, and other behavior born of hate and intolerance.

Prejudice and Politics

The federal government has given the green light to investigate a growing number of schools alleged to have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to have provided a safe, harassment- and hate-free milieu on campus. While antisemitism is by far the more common problem, it's important to remember that Islamophobia is also a concern.

Recently, the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology testified before Congress about the current incarnation of campus prejudice. Unsurprisingly, the American political landscape is particularly fraught and fractious over the issue, as Congress and House members on both sides of the aisle grapple with understanding how to address this complicated and increasingly critical problem.

Survey Says

Anecdotal evidence of antisemitic behavior abounds, of course, but there are some hard-and-fast statistics that lend gravitas to the rhetoric. Recently, the Anti-Defamation League's Center for Antisemitism Research conducted a longitudinal survey of American college students in order to gauge the extent and perception of upheaval and hatred amidst the college student demographic.

The results are staggering. Nearly three-quarters of Jewish students in the survey said they had personally experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitic behavior. Fully 70% of all students, Jewish and non-Jewish, reported that their school's administration isn't doing enough to address antisemitism on campus, let alone trying to curtail it or taking steps to create a more inclusive community.

All Students Deserve a Safe Campus Environment

The demands of post-secondary education are difficult in the best of conditions; the conditions become untenable when students feel on edge, anxious, or downright terrified just walking across campus and going to lectures.

During this troubled time, it's essential that you protect your well-being, your education, and your future. We are here to help. Contact the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm. Call 888.535.3686 or click here.