Monday, February 27, 2023
New York opens probe into city college system for alleged anti-Jewish discrimination
State authorities have opened an investigation into New York City's public college system for alleged discrimination against Jews, part of a running battle over antisemitism at the City University of New York (CUNY).
The New York State Division of Human Rights informed a complainant of the investigation in a letter last week.
The complaint alleges discrimination against Zionist Jewish and Israeli students at the CUNY Law School, due to its faculty's formal support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
"The boycott adopted by CUNY Law blatantly discriminates against students, prospective students, faculty and employees, and prospective faculty and employees on the basis of creed and national origin," the complaint said.
New York State law prohibits boycotts, blacklisting, and other forms of discrimination due to an individual's creed or national origin. The complaint argues that Zionism is a core belief for many Jews, falling into the state's definition of "creed."
The resolution's blanket condemnation of Israeli entities also discriminates on the basis of nationality, the complaint said, adding that the faculty sets the policy for the law school, including in its grading, admissions, and hiring.
Jeffrey Lax, a Jewish faculty member at a CUNY college and leading figure in the opposition to alleged antisemitism at the school system, filed the formal complaint in July. Lax is the co-founder of Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY (SAFE CUNY), representing Zionists and Israelis in the school system. The group has also called for a city investigation into the BDS endorsement.
The New York State Division of Human Rights told Lax in a letter last week that it had received his complaint and will open a probe. The department did not respond to a request for further information.
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