2 PA Colleges Under Investigation By Feds

PENNSYLVANIA — Two institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania are among seven educational entities being investigated by the United States Department of Education after Islamophobic and antisemitic harassment was reported.

The department's Office for Civil Rights said Thursday that the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Lafayette College in Easton on the list of schools being probed for alleged shared ancestry violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This portion of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI) prohibits race, color, or national origin discrimination, including harassment based on a person’s shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.

"Schools that receive federal financial assistance have a responsibility to address discrimination when the discrimination involves racial, ethnic, or ancestral slurs or stereotypes; or is based on a student’s skin color, physical features, or style of dress that reflects both ethnic and religious traditions, to name a few characteristics," the department said in its investigation announcement. "Likewise, schools have a responsibility to address discrimination against students based on the region of the world they come from or are perceived to come from."

According to the department, of the seven investigations, five involve alleged antisemitic harassment and two allege anti-Muslim harassment. It's unclear what types of harassment were alleged at Penn and Lafayette.

Penn officials last week said antisemitic messages were projected on three of its buildings. That news came on the heels of Penn staffers receiving antisemitic emails.

Penn issued the following statement on the federal investigation:

We have received the letter from the Department of Education and look forward to cooperating fully with the Department. The University is taking clear and comprehensive action to prevent, address, and respond to antisemitism, with an action plan anchored in the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. President Magill has made clear antisemitism is vile and pernicious and has no place at Penn; the University will continue to vigilantly combat antisemitism and all forms of hate.

Lafayette College's statement after the department's announcement called the investigation into question, but said it will be cooperating:

On Thursday morning, Nov. 16, the College received notification from the OCR of this complaint. We do not know why the OCR decided to include the College in this investigation. To the contrary, as recently as last week, students of differing views shared a peaceful gathering on campus to honor all those who have died in the recent violence in the Middle East. This event was typical of how our campus community has acted with care and kindness during this time. The College maintains a firm stance against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate speech of any kind. The College is cooperating and will continue to cooperate fully with the DOE in their investigation.

Other educational institutions listed in the department's announcement include Columbia and Cornell universities, Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and the Maize Unified School District in Kansas.

According to the department, the Office of Civil Rights investigations typically include collecting and analyzing relevant evidence from the complainant, the institution, and other sources; conducting interviews of the complainant, the institution’s personnel, and other witnesses; and conducting site visits, if appropriate.