WASHINGTON–Following a string of violent incidents on college campuses related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, House Republicans criticized the role that diversity, equity and inclusion programs play in antisemitism on campus.
“DEI programs are ideologically antisemitic because they ascribe collective guilt to the entire state of Israel for its mere existence,” Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, said during a hearing of the Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
Democrats acknowledged the rise of antisemitic and Islamaphobic incidents on college campuses. However, instead of blaming the DEI programs, Democrats acknowledged that antisemitism exists within college campuses and society and suggested that colleges and universities should be better equipped to protect Israeli, Jewish and Palestinian students. Democrats also accused House Republicans of using this painful moment to renew attacks on a program that they have long opposed.
“I hope my Republican colleagues will denounce the culture wars that have distracted us from protecting our vulnerable students,” said Rep. Robert Scott, D-Va., top Democrat for the committee.
The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice have taken steps to increase campus safety. These include disseminating public safety information to campus law enforcement and remaining in contact with “Jewish, Muslim, Arab and other impacted communities on college campuses nationwide.”
Witnesses at the hearing described a hostile environment on college campuses that has emerged in the past month since the October 6 attack on Israel by Hamas.
Sahar Tartak, a student at Yale University, detailed her experiences on campus since the fighting began last month. She described receiving death threats and being denied admission to pro-Palestinian gatherings on Yale’s campus.
Yale’s diversity, equity and inclusion program and university spokespeople failed to respond to requests for comments.
In Tartak’s testimony, she called on the federal government to stop subsidizing diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which she called “hotbeds of antisemitism.”
She and other witnesses asked that the federal government enforce Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act, which protects people from discrimination in programs that received Federal financial assistance.
“The Department of Education should proactively open Title 6 investigations, not just receive them passively. Diversity, equity and inclusion offices should be scrutinized for protecting every minority group other than mine,” said Tartak.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union said Jewish students do not feel supported by diversity, equity and inclusion offices at a time when attacks on Jewish students on campuses have soared.
“[College students] should all be able to feel that [campuses are] a secure place where they’re welcome. Otherwise it doesn’t deserve funding. That’s the law,” Hauer told Medill News Service.
Representatives from both parties joined in condemning the actions of Hamas and supporting Israeli and Jewish college students. However, House Democrats did not blame DEI programs.
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said that campuses have a duty to protect students but also to protect their right to free speech, so he called on Universities to balance “First Amendment protections and Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act.”
“I’m convinced that we can meet the challenge of the moment for Jewish students on campus and all students. That is our duty as representatives,” said Takano.
Stacy Burdett, an independent consultant in antisemitism prevention and response, testified that expanding DEI programs to include education on antisemitism is a better solution.
“Don’t make us the excuse to shut down something important,” said Burdett, who is Jewish. “There’s not a single more important way to help a Jewish student on campus than to prevent the attack from happening in the first place.”