Choosing student safety over hate-filled speech

The Reconciled Body (TriceEdneyWire.com) – The Arab-Israeli conflict has a long, complicated history with strong opinions on both sides of a deeply divided issue. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, preliminary data from the Anti-Defamation League recorded incidents of harassment, vandalism, and assault have increased by 388% over the same period last year. “When conflict erupts in Israel, antisemitic incidents soon follow in the U.S. and globally,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. Therefore, the sharp rise in anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim incidents at various college campuses should not be a surprise to any university administrator. The question is how do they appropriately respond, and are some things preventable? The Department of Education has opened an extraordinary number of investigations into alleged incidents of hate on college campuses. Harvard, Cornell, and Penn are among several universities and K-12 school districts under investigation. The investigations fall under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which says universities and K-12 districts have a responsibility to provide all students with an environment free from discrimination. Schools are at risk of losing federal funding if they fail to comply. The presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts...