PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - Jewish students and teachers who voice pro-Israel sentiments are subjected to harassment and bullying at Haverford College, a federal lawsuit claims.
A lawsuit was filed May 13 in Philadelphia federal court against Haverford College by the group Jews at Haverford, an unincorporated association comprising Jewish students, faculty, alumni, and parents.
The complaint alleges that the college has fostered a hostile environment for Jewish students who support Israel. The plaintiffs claim that Haverford's administration, led by President Wendy Raymond, has allowed antisemitic actions and rhetoric to go unchecked on campus.
The lawsuit details numerous incidents of alleged discrimination and harassment against Jewish students. It accuses the college of failing to condemn terrorist acts against Jews, applying double standards in its policies on free speech and discrimination, and allowing antisemitic posters and social media posts to proliferate without consequence.
Among the specific allegations are claims that Jewish students have been shunned, harassed and subjected to hostile demonstrations. The plaintiffs also cite instances where administrators allegedly dismissed concerns about antisemitism or suggested that Jewish students should "prepare to be brave" rather than expect safety.
"As a result of Haverford's capture by a fervently antisemitic anti-Israel faction, students and even tenured faculty who engage in public expression of pro-Israel viewpoints are penalized through formal investigations and other disciplinary measures, as well as through informal but pervasive stigmatization, harassment and bulling campaigns," the suit says.
Jerome Marcus and Lori Lowenthal Marcus of The Deborah Project represent the plaintiff.