COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Jewish defense organizations filed a complaint under Title VI alleging Ohio State University failed to address discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students after Hamas' attack against Israel last October.
StandWithUs, The Anti-Defamation League and Brandeis Center claim there have been multiple incidents on campus since the Israel and Hamas war began Oct. 7.
“Since October 7, Jewish students on campuses nationwide have faced unprecedented antisemitic harassment and discrimination,” said Roz Rothstein, StandWithUs CEO. “Ohio State University is no exception. Antisemitism is expressed openly; blatant verbal and physical threats and attacks on Jewish students often go unaddressed by the administration. By filing this Title VI federal complaint, we aim to hold the administration accountable.”
The complaint has multiple incidents alleging Jewish students were spat on and harassed for their identity, pennies thrown at them by fraternity members and other complaints, which can be read here.
In an incident that wasn't listed in the complaint, two women walked into the Ohio State Hillel Wexner Jewish Student Center in November saying they wanted to look around. One of the women allegedly went into a room and started taking small Israeli flags. When staff confronted the woman, she ran out of the front door cursing at them, "You support genocide", and "Free Palestine" while running to a waiting car. The two women were charged with ethnic intimidation, theft, criminal trespass and criminal mischief — all misdemeanors.
In a four-page response from Ohio State, the university says it has "stated unequivocally on numerous occasions that the university has no tolerance for violations of the law or university policy. Ohio State has not and will not tolerate hatred, intimidation or harassment of anyone based on their religious beliefs, nationality or identity." Ohio State's full response can be read here.
The organizations are seeking that the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights compel the university to implement a series of measures necessary to secure the safety of Jewish and Israeli students at Ohio State.