US Education Department Investigating Johns Hopkins Over Anti-Semitism
Feds Investigating Hopkins' Failure to Respond to Harassment of Jewish Students
An investigation into Johns Hopkins University has been opened by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights over the school's alleged failure to respond to anti-Semitism on campus. As reported in the online media outlet Campus Reform, the action is in response to a complaint alleging that the Baltimore university failed to do enough to respond to anti-Semitism on campus, leaving Jewish students feeling “unwelcome and unsafe.” The Office for Civil Rights opened the investigation on Monday. [i]
Among the matters at issue is the language used in two ceasefire calls that university personnel issued in the weeks after the war began. One came from a group of more than 120 Johns Hopkins faculty, the other from a union representing graduate students at the school. [ii] One letter criticizes the actions of the U.S., which the faculty say has continuously supplied munitions and monetary support to Israel while exercising its veto power on the United Nations Security Council. [iii]
The Biden Administration in November announced it intended to take “aggressive action to address the alarming nationwide rise in reports of antisemitism, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and other forms of discrimination and harassment on college campuses and in K-12 schools since the October 7 Israel-Hamas conflict." The Department’s legal authority rests under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including harassment based on a person’s ancestry or ethnic characteristics.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said at the time: "Hate has no place in our schools, period. When students are targeted because they are—or are perceived to be—Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh, or any other ethnicity or shared ancestry, schools must act to ensure safe and inclusive educational environments where everyone is free to learn. These investigations underscore how seriously the Biden-Harris Administration, including the U.S. Department of Education, takes our responsibility to protect students from hatred and discrimination.” [iv]
“We at the Department of Education, like the nation, see the fear students and school communities experience as hate proliferates in schools,” said Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “As we continue our active enforcement, the Office for Civil Rights is increasing transparency into our investigations for public awareness.”
The" liberal” Baltimore Sun has yet to cover the story. The paper’s coverage this week has recycled Johns Hopkins University’s most press releases. [v] [vi] [vii] [viii]
[i] https://www.campusreform.org/article/johns-hopkins-university-facing-civil-rights-probe-over-anti-semitism-exclusive/24845
[ii] https://docs.google.com/document/d/14gnTM2tR-R9Jt9h0UH1vc9rq-nY07lbmKEr0S_F4vn4/edit
[iii] Hopkins faculty write open letter in solidarity with Gaza - The Johns Hopkins News-Letter (jhunewsletter.com)
[iv] https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-educations-office-civil-rights-announces-list-open-title-vi-shared-ancestry-investigations-institutions-higher-education-and-k-12-schools
[v] https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/02/12/johns-hopkins-police-force-board/
[vi] https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/02/05/seven-nominated-to-join-the-johns-hopkins-university-police-accountability-board/
[vii] https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/02/14/rapid-covid-tests-at-home-hopkins/
[viii] https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/02/14/johns-hopkins-rapid-covid-19-home-tests-are-reliable/#:~:text=In%20a%20study%20involving%20nearly,virus%20that%20causes%20COVID%2D19%2C