Students who are standing up for Palestinian rights are facing threats of harassment, doxing, and intimidation, with a serious lack of support (and sometimes outright discriminatory actions) from their schools.

This template letter is aimed at helping students write to their schools to explain that they may be in violation of civil rights law for allowing discrimination to fester on campus, and to demand the action, resources, and support that students need. Make sure to fill in details about your situation and your needs and tailor it to suit your institution, whether it is a public university governed by the First Amendment or a private institution with its own internal free expression practices.

[Date]

Dear [President/Administration Office]: 

We write on behalf of [insert name of student group/groups/or groups of individuals targeted], who have been targeted by racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic harassment and doxing attacks for their support for Palestinian human rights. We write to express our concern about [your email response to the recent events in Palestine, or lack of response]. Your statement [or lack of a statement in support of students advocating for Palestine] on [date], in which you [name what the university did or failed to do in their statement] has invited active harm, harassment, and intimidation of students on this campus. We call on [university] to protect its students from these attacks and affirm their right to advocate for Palestine. 

Students who support Palestinian rights have been subject to severe anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, and other forms of discrimination. Students who support Palestine on campus are being severely and routinely [intimidated, harassed, and physically harmed] on [university name]’s campus. [List, in sentences or bullet points, recent incidents that have occurred on campus, include dates, location, other factual details as necessary. These incidents can include instances of harassment by other students or student groups, intimidation by outside community members, harassment by faculty/administrators, doxing of university students, media outlets/politicians targeting students on campus, etc.]

Students have a right to speak on and advocate for Palestinian rights.

[*For public schools*] As a public university, [university name] is prohibited by the First Amendment from engaging in institutional censorship of political expression, such as the various forms of censorship [university name] is inflicting on its students who advocate for Palestine. 

[*For private schools*] As a university committed to respect free expression on campus, [university name] must avoid one-sided scrutiny, disparate application of campus rules, and institutional censorship of speech related to Palestinian rights.

 [University name]’s refusal to protect its students against racism and harassment [and its own discriminatory treatment toward Palestinian students and those perceived to be Palestinian] creates a hostile environment that may give rise to a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin by institutions that receive federal assistance. A violation of Title VI may be found where a university has created or is otherwise responsible for a hostile environment that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to interfere with or limit the ability of an individual to obtain educational services. A university violates Title VI where it causes, encourages, accepts, tolerates or fails to correct a hostile environment of which it has notice. Title VI also prohibits retaliation for reporting on an alleged violation of Title VI.

The majority of students who are being targeted are [Palestinian/people of color/Muslim/etc.]. Their lives and well-being are being directly impacted. The pressure they face has [describe the impact, e.g.,interfered with their ability to fully engage in their coursework, participate in campus events, and enjoy equal access to university services]. Rather than protecting its students, [University name]’s [actions/failure to act has/have] encouraged and legitimized harassment and intimidation of its students who choose to advocate for Palestine. Students are raising their voices in support of Palestine in a political climate where Israel has declared genocidal intentions against Palestinians and Gazans are being murdered en masse every single day, and where political and institutional leaders and mainstream media here in the US have vilified and punished those who dare to speak out. It is [university name’s] responsibility to ensure that students have the right to speak up for Palestine and that in doing so, they are safe and that the threats to student safety cease immediately. 

We urge [university name] to immediately [edit to reflect demands specific to your campus]:

  • Publish a statement in support of the student groups who have signed onto the statement in solidarity with Palestine, and reaffirm the students’ right to openly advocate for Palestine,

  • Condemn the anti-Palestinian, anti-Black, and other forms of racism and Islamophobia targeting its students,

  • Apologize to the students who have been impacted for creating an environment on campus which encouraged further harassment and threats against students, particularly against students of color and Muslim students,

  • Provide resources for impacted students that are accessible to them and responsive to their needs, including but not limited to, ensuring that career services have the knowledge and tools to help students navigate the unique hurdles they face entering the workforce as targets of smear campaigns; providing digital security resources to assist students in organizing safely; and ensuring access to culturally competent mental health support,

  • Implement educational initiatives and workshops aimed at fostering a culture of inclusivity, tolerance, and respect for Palestinian students and their allies,

  • Conduct a thorough review of the incidents of harassment documented in this email and other related reports [university name] has received to ensure that the rights of students are protected and that incidents of discrimination and harassment are addressed appropriately, and

  • Establish channels for students to report incidents of discrimination or harassment and ensure that these reports are taken seriously and addressed promptly.

We respectfully request an immediate response to these concerns. 

Sincerely,

[Name(s) of student(s)/student group(s)]