Feds “Resolve” UW Anti-Semitic Complaints by Jewish Students

The US Department of Education has announced a “resolution” to a series of complaints filed against the University of Washington over what DOE refers to as “shared ancestry discrimination.”  Many of them occurred following the Hamas attack on Israel in October of 2023. A number of pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian protests and activities, according to those reporting the incidents, threatened the safety of Jewish and some other students on campus.

  The complaints were filed following threats and abusive behavior toward Jewish students by campus protesters.

According to information released by the Department, complaints were received of allegations from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic school years. The Department said in a release:

“...including incidents of antisemitic and anti-Arab harassment and antisemitic graffiti in campus residential housing and on university property. The incidents reported to the university included:

• A student reporting that during a campus protest encampment an individual shouted “kill all Jews” at the student.
• A Somali student group and three other African or Muslim student groups, reporting receipt of a letter during the first days of Ramadan that included the phrase “go back to whatever s***hole you came from.”
• A student reporting that the swastikas posted on their floor in a residence hall was a “targeted attack” and that they felt “very scared” and “not safe right now.”
• A report informing campus police of 11 separate incidents of graffiti in a residential dorm, including the posting of several swastikas and anti-Black slurs.”

The DOE Office for Civil Rights, or OCR, began to investigate the multiple incidents against especially Jewish students, and then learned in November of 2024, UW began to undertake steps to ensure Title VI (9) is not being violated on campus. The OCR says UW has committed to take corrective action with at least five specific steps to prevent further such incidents from occurring on campus.

The resolution also requires notifying OCR about what actions are taken against those who are found to have violated Title VI or committed incidents of harassment.

To see the resolution letter with DOE, and OCR and the University of Washington, click here.