University of Tennessee Among Institutions Targeted by U.S. Department of Education for ‘Antisemitic Discrimination and Harassment’ Against Jewish Students

The University of Tennessee is one of 60 universities and colleges across the nation that have been sent a letter by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) warning that they could face consequences if they do not “fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus.”

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

The institutions that received letters from DOE are all presently under investigation for Title VI violations relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination of Jewish students after the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 that left around 1,200 Israelis dead.

A majority of the investigations into the universities and colleges were launched last week as the DOE’s Office for Civil Rights directed its enforcement staff to “make resolving the backlog of complaints alleging antisemitic harassment and violence an immediate priority.”

“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

“U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws,” McMahon added.

In the months following the October 2023 attack on Israel, the University of Tennessee allowed anti-Israel protests to take place on its main Knoxville campus and went as far as reserving the Student Union Cumberland Plaza for demonstrations conducted by non-official student organizations at the university.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.