Harvard Task Forces Find Climate of Bias for Both Jewish and Muslim Groups
Harvard’s task forces on anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bias each found a climate of discrimination and intimidation on campus, writing in preliminary reports released Wednesday that the situation for pro-Israel students was “dire” and that pro-Palestinian students were being repressed.
The antisemitism task force cited reports of teachers discriminating or harassing students for being Israeli or pro-Israel. It added that there was an ideological “litmus test” for extracurricular activities that made it impossible for some students to participate.
The task force called for a range of measures, including anti-harassment training for all students, discussions about anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, and accommodations for students celebrating Jewish holidays, to improve the quality of life for Jewish students on campus.
On the other hand, the research into anti-Islamic and anti-Arab prejudices on campus, it was found that the freedom of expression of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian students had been widely suppressed, leaving them in “a state of uncertainty, abandonment, threat and isolation” and in “a pervasive climate of intolerance.” The report said that many students felt that the words “Palestine” and “Palestinian” had become taboo on campus.
Among other recommendations, the task force urged the school to hire a visiting professor in Palestinian studies, and in the longer term, recruit tenure-track faculty to expand the school’s curriculum in Palestinian studies. It also advised the university to clarify its policies on bullying and bias.
The preliminary reports come after a school year that has seen growing concerns about anti-Semitism and Islamophobia at Harvard and other universities. Last week, Stanford released reports from its own task forces that found widespread anti-Semitism and suppression of pro-Palestinian speech on its campus.
Republican lawmakers and donors have been particularly vocal in pressing Harvard to address anti-Semitism since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
This pressure, as well as a theatrical hearing from the Republican-led Education and Labor Committee in December, contributed to the resignation of Harvard Chancellor Claudine Gay after she gave vague, legalistic answers to the question of whether a call until genocide on campus would be considered anti-Semitic.
In a scathing letter in May, Virginia Foxx, the commission’s chair, accused Harvard of ignoring the recommendations of an advisory committee on anti-Semitism (later dismantled and replaced by the task force). Harvard said Dr. Foxx was compiling evidence to reach inaccurate conclusions.
Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have gripped campuses, including Harvard’s, over the past year, putting universities in awkward positions as they try to balance free speech with campus safety.
Jewish groups have said there were widespread instances of anti-Semitism during the protests, while Muslim groups have alleged their freedom of expression was curtailed as universities cracked down on the demonstrations.
The report from Harvard’s anti-Semitism task force did not address specific incidents. But a Harvard Divinity School student, Shabbos Kestenbaum, testified at a public hearing in the House of Representatives in February that his classmates had posted on an anonymous social media app that “too many damn Jews live in this country.”
Mr. Kestenbaum, who graduated this spring and has accused the university in a lawsuit of being “a bastion” of hatred against Jews, said Wednesday that the anti-Semitism report was not harsh enough.
“The most substantive policy change is that pork products must be clearly marked,” he said, referring to the recommendation that Harvard serve more hot, kosher meals and identify dishes containing pork in dining halls.
The report on Islamophobia was also somewhat general, but did include stories of students wearing headscarves or kaffiyehs being called “terrorists.”
It was also reported that pro-Palestinian students were doxxed, meaning that their private information was revealed. In one such case, the names and faces of students affiliated with organizations that signed a letter holding Israel responsible for the October 7 attack were displayed on trucks driving around campus, operated by an outside conservative group called Accuracy in Media.
The task force called for more dedicated spaces for prayer and communal gatherings, greater recognition of Islamic holidays and religious education during orientation. “Religious illiteracy must be addressed as it is a major factor contributing to stereotypes and prejudice,” the report said.
Neither report addressed the dispute over whether anti-Zionism is a form of anti-Semitism, which Abed A. Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said was a significant oversight.
“All of this stems from efforts to change the definition of anti-Semitism,” he said. “There is hostility towards anti-Zionist groups; that should not be underestimated.”
Mr Kestenbaum also said he was disappointed that the anti-Semitism report did not include a definition of anti-Semitism.
In an email releasing the reports, Alan Garber, Harvard’s interim president, urged his campus to “interact with each other with tact, decency and compassion.” He added: “Our learning cannot be limited to purely academic pursuits if we hope to fulfill our responsibilities to each other and to the institution that is our intellectual home.”
