Media Round-Up: Palestine Legal Files 9 Title VI Complaints Since April 2024

Since April 2024, Palestine Legal has filed nine federal civil rights complaints against universities for severe anti-Palestinian discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. As a result, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Emory University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Columbia University are now under federal investigation for anti-Palestinian racism. Partners and students have filed complaints against numerous other universities, including Harvard, Rutgers, CUNY, and UCLA. 

Palestine Legal and partner organizations are filing complaints to ensure that universities are held accountable for their discriminatory treatment of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and associated students amid protests on campuses against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Here is a select media round-up of the top 8 stories on the ongoing Title VI cases in mainstream and independent outlets including NBC News, The Hill, The Intercept, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, NC Newsline, and the Daily Tar Heel. 

The Hill

Palestinian group says Education Department has opened probe into discrimination at Columbia | May 2

“The law is clear, if universities do not cease their racist crackdowns against Palestinians and their supporters — they will be at risk of losing federal funding,” said Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney for Palestine Legal. 

NBC News

Jewish and pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University accuse school officials of discrimination in competing complaints  | April 29

Columbia student Maryam Alwan said in a statement included in Palestine Legal’s complaint: “As a Palestinian student, I’ve been harassed, doxxed, shouted down, and discriminated against by fellow students and professors — simply because of my identity and my commitment to advocating for my own rights and freedoms.

“I’m horrified at the way Columbia has utterly failed to protect me from racism and abuse, but beyond that, the university has also played a role in this repression by having me arrested and suspended for peacefully protesting Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” she added.

The Intercept

“Kill All Arabs”: The Feds Are Investigating UMass Amherst for Anti-Palestinian Bias | April 24

“When you have a complaint that so clearly, and in such detail, lays out the severity of the hostile environment … I think that led OCR to really swiftly open it,” said Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney at Palestine Legal. “It’s an ongoing environment too.”

Boston Globe

UMass Amherst joins ranks of universities under federal scrutiny for possible discrimination | April 24

Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney with Palestine Legal based in New York City, confirmed Wednesday that the group filed a complaint on behalf of more than 18 UMass students who say they have experienced discrimination and harassment. Sainath said that the students submitted numerous internal complaints to the university but feel they did not receive adequate support or assistance.

“It’s really important that OCR is taking this seriously because students have the right to speak out against genocide without fear of harassment,” Sainath said in an interview. “This was a last resort action.”

The Guardian

Revealed: Emory University investigated over alleged anti-Muslim discrimination | May 2

The US government has opened an investigation into Emory University’s alleged discrimination against students with Palestinian, Muslim or Arab ancestry since 7 October, the Guardian has exclusively learned.

The US education department notified the Council on American Islamic Relations, Georgia, or Cair-GA, and Palestine Legal, a national organization, on Tuesday that it would be investigating claims made in an 18-page complaint filed on 5 April on behalf of students at the university in Atlanta, Georgia, under title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Groups file federal civil rights complaint against Emory University alleging discrimination | May 2

“We want the (U.S.) Department of Education to do what Emory failed to,” Emory SJP said in a statement in the news release, “which is investigate our reports of bias properly, listen to our voices, and hold Emory accountable, so we can safely advocate for Palestinian rights without fearing for our safety on campus.”  

NC Newsline

Students for Justice in Palestine files civil rights complaint against UNC-Chapel Hill | April 10

“On October 10, 2023, the Dean of Students’ office sent an email to all current and former students whose birthplaces were listed ‘in or around Israel’ in UNC records to extend support and resources—including mental health counseling and academic accommodation,” wrote Zoha Khalili, senior staff attorney with Palestine Legal, in the letter. “According to students we have spoken with, several Palestinian students received this message because their birthplace was listed as Israel. No other Palestinian students reported receiving this message.

Daily Tar Heel

Students, faculty and community members protest for Palestine throughout school year | May 21

According to an SJP Instagram post, Palestine Legal —a group that, according to its website, represents people in the U.S. who speak out for Palestine — filed a Title VI claim against UNC for anti-Palestinian discrimination on April 4. 

SJP said in the post that the claim included examples like providing resources to Israeli but not Palestinian students, ignoring harassment threats, racist rhetoric from UNC Trustees as well as disciplinary double standards.

In a separate Instagram post on May 8, SJP announced that they were notified May 5 that the U.S. Department of Education would open an investigation into the University.