DOE probes Sarah Lawrence College for antisemitism potential.

Casper Wong January 8, 2025 Education & Career

The U.S. Department of Education is now investigating possible antisemitism at Sarah Lawrence College.

Complaint Filed by Hillels of Westchester

The complaint was filed by Hillels of Westchester on behalf of Jewish students. Hillels of Westchester says their complaint is based on violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. They say Jewish students are being verbally attacked for publicly supporting Israel, and say there is a lack of action by the administration. Hillels of Westchester filed this complaint in March 2024. It alleges that since then, it’s only gotten worse.

Investigation by U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education’s investigation was opened on Dec. 24, 2024. News 12 talked with one Jewish student who is not returning to Sarah Lawrence for their final semester as a result. They asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

“The fact that I am not able to go back to that campus because they are not taking the steps to protect me, it’s just not OK. I really hope that Sarah Lawrence can take this seriously,” the student told News 12. Both this student and Hillels of Westchester say they’re glad to see this investigation opened.

Concerns Raised by Hillels of Westchester

“We see a lot of students self-isolating on campus because of the anti-Israel sentiment there,” says Rachel Klein, executive director of Hillels of Westchester. “Hillels of Westchester serves five other campuses locally and Sarah Lawrence is a standout among them in the way that the administration in particular has taken such a hands off approach.”