Schools Have an Obligation to Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia

According to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, a Meriden, Connecticut native, there has been a notable increase in complaints filed with the Office of Civil Rights since the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. The Department of Education is sending guidance to colleges, universities, and K-12 schools regarding their responsibility to provide all students with a learning environment free from discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Office of Civil Rights updated its complaint form recently. Now, there is protection based on color, national origin, and race extending to students perceived to be Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, or Sikh. View the new form here.

Update - Schools under investigation include one K-12 school, the Maize Unified School District in Kansas, and six colleges: Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, Cornell University in New York, Columbia University in New York, Wellesley College in Massachusetts, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, and the University of Pennsylvania.