The U.S. Department of Education has opened a Title VI investigation into Haverford College for allegedly violating federal civil rights law for failing to address harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on campus, the department announced on Wednesday.
“Jewish students—like all students—deserve to learn and thrive in an environment free from wanton hostility and intentional intimidation,” stated Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the department.
“The Trump administration will not allow Jewish life to be pushed into the shadows because college leaders are too craven to respond appropriately to unlawful antisemitic incidents on campus,” he said.
According to the department, senior leadership at the private liberal arts college in Haverford, Pa., allegedly told Jewish students that they should be “brave” when dealing with antisemitic bullying and harassment and not expect to be “safe,” in response to student complaints following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The college also blamed “the wind” for the vandalism and removal of hostage posters and posters advertising Jewish student events, only acknowledging they were “antisemitic acts” when Haverford president Wendy Raymond was called to testify before Congress, the department stated.
The department added that Raymond stated in her testimony that the college does not tolerate discrimination, but did not specify any actions the college has taken to address antisemitism on campus.
A spokesperson for the college told JNS that it is reviewing the complaint from the department.
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, lauded the administration’s decision to investigate Haverford.
“During the Committee’s hearing in May, Haverford’s president refused to provide any tangible steps the school was taking to protect Jewish students and address antisemitism,” he stated. “Her testimony underscored the grave failures of college and university leaders who allow antisemitism to run rampant on their campuses in direct violation of the law.”
Walberg added that “from posters quoting the Hamas Charter to Jewish students being ostracized—we know Haverford has an antisemitism problem” and it’s “unacceptable.”
“Antisemitism has no place in our schools,” Walberg said. “The Trump administration is right to hold colleges and universities accountable for their failures, and I remain committed to working with the Department of Education to protect Jewish students.”
