Media Roundup: Palestine Legal files federal civil rights complaint against George Washington University

On February 14th, Palestine Legal filed a federal civil rights complaint with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) demanding an immediate investigation into the years-long, hostile environment of anti-Palestinian racism that continues unabated at George Washington University (GW).

Below is a media roundup on the Title VI complaint in outlets including Jewish Currents, The Electronic Intifada, Middle East Eye, The GW Hatchet, MintPress News, The New Arab, and Inside Higher Ed.

Rachel Schwartz

Jewish Currents

Civil Rights Complaint Details an Anti-Palestinian Climate at GW

"Three students have accused George Washington University (GW) of perpetuating a climate of anti-Palestinian racism on campus, according to a federal civil rights complaint obtained by Jewish Currents. The complaint—filed today with the Department of Education’s (DOE) Office for Civil Rights by Palestine Legal, a group that defends the civil rights of Palestine solidarity activists—documents the experiences of the students, who say that GW school officials denied them campus services for processing trauma related to Israel’s violence against Palestinians and investigated them on charges of property damage for putting up Palestine solidarity posters near campus.

'The administration fostered a climate of anti-Palestinianism where political expression is suppressed and Palestinians are regularly discriminated against,' said Radhika Sainath, a senior staff attorney at Palestine Legal.

Sainath argued that her organization’s complaints are a more appropriate use of civil rights law than those made by Israel advocates: 'Our Title VI complaint challenges actual discrimination based on national origin—not speech critical of a state built on and sustained by violations of international law,' she said." 

The Electronic Intifada

Federal complaint takes on anti-Palestinian racism at US college

“‘There is a severe and pervasive atmosphere of anti-Palestinian racism at George Washington University that’s been happening for years,’ Radhika Sainath, senior attorney at Palestine Legal, told The Electronic Intifada.

‘It’s not about any one incident; we’ve been involved in representing people going back to 2015. This [federal complaint] is a long time coming,’ she said.

Palestine Legal’s complaint to the Department of Education also highlights how the university’s decision to officially close the student trauma services center has affected students seeking care. The center was shut after Israel lobby groups complained that Palestinian students were accessing mental health care following Israel’s 2021 attacks on Gaza.

‘By canceling the processing space, GW denied a Palestinian student who had been shot by an Israeli soldier while studying remotely from her home in the West Bank the chance to access much-needed mental health services,’ Palestine Legal wrote in the complaint.

A George Washington University student, who did not wish to be named due to fear of retaliation, told The Electronic Intifada that the situation on campus has been tense and demoralizing for those who advocate for the rights of Palestinians.

With Palestine Legal’s complaint, the student said that it is important to ‘make a point that not only are these attacks [on Sheehi and against Palestinian students] morally wrong, but they also violate federal civil rights law and academic free speech laws – and they normalize anti-Palestinian discourse.’

If the complaint leads to an investigation of the college’s lengthy history of anti-Palestinian racism and discrimination, ‘it could allow our grievances to be legitimately heard and acknowledged; and for something to be done about it,’ said the unnamed student.”

Middle East Eye

Students accuse US university of anti-Palestinian climate

“‘There is simply no justification for GW's racist, bigoted treatment of Palestinians,’ Palestine Legal's senior staff attorney Radhika Sainath said in a statement.

‘Even if pro-Israel groups don't like it and complain, the law is clear, Palestinian students are entitled to the same education and services as other students.’

Palestine Legal's complaint calls on the Department of Education to require the university to ensure that Palestinian students have equal access to campus services and end discriminatory investigations of Palestinians.”

The GW Hatchet

Federal civil rights complaint outlines pattern of alleged racism against Palestinian students

“Palestine Legal is representing three students who allege they were the target of anti-Palestinian discrimination, according to the release. Radhika Sainath, a senior staff attorney for Palestine Legal, declined to release a copy of the complaint, saying Palestine Legal wanted to protect the students from ‘backlash and retaliation’ from pro-Israel groups.

‘So deep is the anti-Palestinian prejudice, that GW even prohibited the provision of mental health services to Palestinian students like our client, who had suffered trauma,’ Sainath said in an email. ‘Even if providing such services to Palestinian students and supporting Palestinian human rights spark complaints from anti-Palestinian groups, the law does not allow GW to discriminate on the basis of national origin or ethnicity with regards to campus services.’”

MintPress News

Title VI Complaint Filed Against George Washington University Over "Hostile Environment of Anti-Palestinian Racism"

"The SJP student involved in Palestine Legal’s complaint explained...'The balance of power is fundamentally skewed against Palestinians and Arabs on campus.'

GW’s Hillel chapter recently finished rebuilding its center, which opened its doors in 2021. Designed to provide Hillel with larger accommodations on campus, the new four-story building cost $13.5 million to complete. 

The campus Hillel receives strong financial backing from the university and a number of foundations. In 2020, George Washington University awarded Hillel with a grant worth more than $2 million. GW Hillel also receives funding from the Maccabee Task Force (MTF) Foundation, which gave it nearly $130,000 in 2019, according to MTF’s most recent tax filing. Under the slogan combating “anti-Semitism on campus,” the foundation’s main goal is to tackle the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The SJP student suggests that discrimination against Palestinians on campus is an institutional problem. “It’s deeply rooted in the administration and in GW as an institution because the national liberation of Palestinians is seen as a political threat to GW and to the powerful entities that fund and support the administration,” they said."

The New Arab

Legal complaint filed against George Washington University over 'anti-Palestinian environment'

“‘We filed a Title VI complaint with the Department of Education because the [GW] administration has allowed for anti-Palestinian discrimination to happen on campus without doing anything, and not making the campus a safe place for Palestinians, like students of other identities,’ Dylan Saba, a staff attorney at Palestine Legal, told The New Arab.”

Inside Higher Ed

GW, Already Accused of Antisemitism, Called Anti-Palestinian

“The Palestine Legal news release says ‘anti-Palestinian students took over [Sheehi’s] class the following Monday, making numerous anti-Palestinian statements, including … that Palestinian civilians killed by the Israeli army are terrorists.’

The release said the complaint also ‘explains how GW canceled a virtual processing space for Palestinian students after Hillel (a pro-Israel campus organization) complained.’

Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney for Palestine Legal, said the space was offered after 2021 Israeli bombings. A student anonymously told Inside Higher Ed that she wanted to use the space after being hit with a tear gas canister and having rifles pointed at her.”