A professor at George Washington University in D.C. is being accused of discrimination and anti-semitism, and the university has announced that they are investigating the claims.
The complaint filed on behalf of Jewish and Israeli students by StandWithUs, an education organization that supports Israel, said a professor who taught a mandatory diversity course would disparage and attack their Jewish and Israeli identities.
The complaint was filed Thursday with U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
It also alleged that the professor slandered the students reputations to other faculty members and brought in a lecturer who expressed support for violence against Israeli civilians.
“Too often, when Jewish students raise concerns about antisemitism, they are subjected to gaslighting or false claims meant to cause self-doubt and deflect the bigotry at play,” said Carly Gammill, founding director of the StandWithUs Center for Combating Antisemitism in a statement. “Jewish and Israeli students deserve the same level of respect and consideration as all other minority groups when they report cases of bigotry and discrimination.”
George Washington University President Mark Wrighton, in a letter, wrote that the school had hired a third party to look into the claims and reaffirmed that the university strongly condemns antisemitism.
“The university also recognizes and supports academic freedom, and the right of all members of our community to speak out on issues of public concern, understanding that they are not speaking on behalf of the university,” wrote Wrighton.
The university said they will work with students and faculty involved to take appropriate actions to address these concerns.
