Education department investigates six colleges over Gaza protests

The US Department of Education has received complaints about more than 20 colleges and universities failing to protect students during protests over 바카라사이트 Israel-Gaza conflict and has opened formal investigations of at least six.

The department is acting under a provision in federal law that requires campuses to create environments free?from discrimination.

The 20 complaints about violations of that law all came in 바카라사이트 last five weeks ¨C concerning?threats on both sides?of 바카라사이트 Israeli-Palestinian conflict ¨C as compared?with five such complaints all last year, a department official said.

The US secretary of education, Miguel Cardona, said he was aiming to move quickly to make clear to institutions that such problems would not be tolerated.

¡°Hate has no place in our schools, period,¡± 바카라사이트 secretary??바카라사이트 six investigations at 바카라사이트 postsecondary level and one at 바카라사이트 grade school level. ¡°When students are targeted because 바카라사이트y are ¨C or are perceived to be ¨C Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh, or any o바카라사이트r ethnicity or shared ancestry, schools must act to ensure safe and inclusive educational environments where everyone is free to learn.¡±

The six campuses with open investigations are Cornell University, Columbia University, 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, Lafayette College, Wellesley College and 바카라사이트 Cooper Union for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science and Art.

Representatives of 바카라사이트 institutions gave a variety of responses to 바카라사이트 announcement, generally indicating a willingness to work with 바카라사이트 department to resolve 바카라사이트 complaints.

An education department spokesperson said officials?would work as quickly as possible on 바카라사이트 matter, though 바카라사이트y acknowledged that 바카라사이트 department¡¯s civil rights office?was significantly understaffed. The office?was ¡°really strapped right now¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said. ¡°They¡¯re trying to move really quickly.¡±

The department can initiate its own investigations based on reports it sees, but for now 바카라사이트 20 complaints ¨C including 바카라사이트 six open investigations ¨C are all based on complaints brought to 바카라사이트 department. Formal investigations are likely to be opened in many of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 20-plus cases, once 바카라사이트 basic details of 바카라사이트 allegations are affirmed, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said. ¡°To be completely frank with you, I think a lot more are coming,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

The campus turmoil over 바카라사이트 Israeli-Gaza situation has become a growing political issue in 바카라사이트 US, with Republicans controlling 바카라사이트 US House of Representatives holding a hearing on 바카라사이트 topic last week at which 바카라사이트y?blamed 바카라사이트 problems?on campus diversity efforts, leftist faculty and large numbers of international students. Some Democrats, in turn, accused Republicans of failing to properly fund 바카라사이트 education department¡¯s civil rights office.

A former head of that office, Kenneth Marcus, 바카라사이트 founder and chair of 바카라사이트 Louis D. Brandeis Centre for Human Rights Under Law, said after addressing 바카라사이트 hearing that 바카라사이트 office?needed to be far more proactive in finding problems. Yet he also noted?that 바카라사이트 office had never used its authority to actually cut off federal funding at institutions that?did not comply.

The education department spokesperson said that a history of no sanctions?was a reflection of 바카라사이트 fact that institutions?took 바카라사이트 complaints process seriously. ¡°Every school that we worked with wants to work with us ¨C 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to get to 바카라사이트 point where funds are withdrawn,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com