Rise in Student Lawsuits Against Universities Over Antisemitism Expected

A 2019 executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which expanded the interpretation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include "discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism," is expected to lead to a surge of student lawsuits against universities. Attorneys are meeting with students who claim their schools are failing to protect them from anti-Semitic or anti-Israel conduct. The order instructs federal officials to consider using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism, which has been criticized for potentially conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Lawyers have reported an overwhelming number of calls from Jewish college students and their parents seeking representation in Title VI claims, while Muslim and pro-Palestinian students are also considering filing their own claims.