Author of the article:
Associated Press
Michael Casey
Published Aug 08, 2024 • 3 minute read
![Judge dismisses anti-Semitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move ahead (2) Judge dismisses anti-Semitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move ahead (2)](https://i0.wp.com/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/torontosun/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/universities-antisemitism-lawsuits.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=_cp0n0_Ts6umNajNZaZCcg)
BOSTON (AP) — A federal lawsuit accusing Massachusetts Institute of Technology of tolerating anti-Semitism after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel has been dismissed while a similar one against Harvard University can continue.
Advertisem*nt 2
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Don't have an account? Create Account
or
View more offers
Article content
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Judge dismisses anti-Semitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move ahead Back to video
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The MIT lawsuit accused the university of approving anti-Semitic activities on campus and tolerating discrimination and harassment against Jewish students and faculty. In dismissing the lawsuit July 30, U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns noted that MIT took steps to address on-campus protests that posed a potential threat to Jewish students.
“Plaintiffs frame MIT’s response to the conflict largely as one of inaction. But the facts alleged tell a different story,” Stearns wrote. “Far from sitting on its hands, MIT took steps to contain the escalating on-campus protests that, in some instances, posed a genuine threat to the welfare and safety of Jewish and Israeli students, who were at times personally victimized by the hostile demonstrators.”
Your Midday Sun
Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
Advertisem*nt 3
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The judge drew a sharply different conclusion about Harvard, moving toward a trial on the university’s claim that it had done its best to balance its responsibilities of protecting free speech and preventing discrimination among its students.
Ruling on Aug. 6 that parts of that lawsuit can move forward, Stearns wrote that Harvard’s response to anti-Semitic incidents “was, at best, indecisive, vacillating, and at times internally contradictory.”
Fallout from the Israel-Hamas war roiled campuses across the United States during the last school year and reignited a debate over free speech.
College leaders have struggled to define the line where political speech crosses into harassment and discrimination, and both Arab and Jewish students have raised concerns that schools are doing too little to protect them. Some have complained that universities have gone too far in cracking down on pro-Palestinian protesters by arresting and suspending students, while others said they’ve been too tolerant of encampments that sprung up on campuses.
Advertisem*nt 4
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
MIT said Thursday that the ruling in its case speaks for itself.
“We appreciate that the Court carefully assessed the allegations and dismissed plaintiffs’ claims,” MIT said in a statement. “Our leaders have and will continue to support our students and focus on making it possible for all of us to share the campus successfully while pursuing MIT’s vital mission.”
The StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice filed the lawsuit against MIT along with two students. Its director, Carly Gammill, expressed her disappointment on Thursday, saying they had sought to “hold MIT accountable for failing to protect Jewish and Zionist students from anti-Semitic hate on its campus.”
“We are immensely grateful to the courageous students and attorneys who made this case possible,” Gammill said. “The SCLJ will continue its efforts to hold bad actors responsible — whether for perpetuating or showing deliberate indifference to anti-Semitism _ on behalf of students at MIT and campuses across the country.”
Advertisem*nt 5
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Students Against Anti-Semitism, Inc., accuses Harvard of violating Jewish students’ civil rights by tolerating them being harassed, assaulted and intimidated — behaviour that has intensified since the Oct. 7 attack.
The judge Stearns dismissed the plaintiffs’ allegations that they were directly discriminated against by Harvard University. He said former president Claudine Gay and interim president Alan Garber repeatedly recognized “an eruption of anti-Semitism on the Harvard campus.”
But Stearns said there were many instances where the university “didn’t respond at all” and “failed its Jewish students.”
“We are gratified that the Court has upheld our clients’ civil rights claims against Harvard,” Marc Kasowitz, a partner at the law firm that brought the suit, said in a statement. “We intend to continue to take all necessary and appropriate steps to protect Harvard’s Jewish students, the first step being discovery of Harvard’s internal files and communications to prove the full nature and extent of Harvard’s failures.”
Advertisem*nt 6
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
In a statement, Harvard said it “will continue to take concrete steps to address the root causes of anti-Semitism on campus and protect our Jewish and Israeli students, ensuring they may pursue their education free from harassment and discrimination.
“We appreciate that the Court dismissed the claim that Harvard directly discriminated against members of our community, and we understand that the court considers it too early to make determinations on other claims,” the statement continued. “Harvard is confident that once the facts in this case are made clear, it will be evident that Harvard has acted fairly and with deep concern for supporting our Jewish and Israeli students.”
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Create an AccountSign in
Join the Conversation
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Trending
- HANSON: Kamala Harris' flop will be scarier than her flip
- SUNshine Girl Carmen
- SUNshine Girl Rinku
- Prince Harry set to celebrate 40th birthday with huge inheritance payout
- Man suspected in Richmond Hill car theft stabbed to death
Read Next
Latest National Stories