The U.S. federal government has launched civil rights investigations into seven schools and universities, as well as one school district, following allegations of antisemitism or Islamophobia in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. The Education Department announced these inquiries on Thursday as part of President Joe Biden's administration's effort to combat discrimination. The list of institutions being investigated includes three Ivy League schools, namely Columbia, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York are also under investigation. The Maize Unified School District in Kansas, a K-12 system, is also facing scrutiny.

According to the Education Department, five of the investigations are in response to allegations of antisemitic harassment, while the other two are in response to allegations of anti-Muslim harassment. While the agency did not disclose which schools were facing which accusations, it did mention that the investigations are focused on possible discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, which violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Schools found to have violated civil rights law could face penalties, including the loss of federal funding.

The investigations were initiated following complaints filed by various groups. Penn and Wellesley were accused of antisemitism in federal complaints filed by the Brandeis Center, a Jewish legal advocacy group. The center alleged that Penn professors made antisemitic statements in the classroom and on social media, and that Jewish students felt unsafe on campus during pro-Palestinian rallies. As for Wellesley, the Brandeis Center claimed that the college failed to address antisemitism after some dorm advisers sent an email stating that there should be no support for Zionism at the institution. Both Penn and Wellesley have denied any wrongdoing and are cooperating with the investigations.

Lafayette College expressed surprise at being investigated and stated that it maintains a firm stance against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate speech of any kind. The college has pledged its full cooperation with the Department of Education's investigation. Maize Unified School District, on the other hand, stated that it had not received a copy of the complaint but emphasized its commitment to cooperating fully with any investigation.

The universities under investigation have been experiencing heightened tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. At Columbia, tensions have been escalating as pro-Israel activists clash with Palestinian students and their allies through dueling demonstrations. Cornell recently witnessed the arrest of a student who made threatening statements against Jewish individuals. Cooper Union faced criticism from Jewish students who claimed that the school did not protect them during a pro-Palestine demonstration in October, leading to Jewish students seeking shelter in a campus library. Palestinian and Muslim students have also reported increased harassment on campuses across the country.

The Biden administration has been taking steps to address discrimination on college campuses. The Education Department sent a letter reminding universities of their obligations under the Civil Rights Act, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has met with leaders of Muslim, Arab, and Jewish groups to discuss the issue. In addition to the complaints filed with the department, some students have also filed lawsuits alleging civil rights violations. For example, three Jewish students at New York University recently sued the school, claiming that it failed to address persistent antisemitism.

The investigations are ongoing, and the Department of Education will release an updated list of investigations each week. The DOE plans to offer recommendations to the schools following the investigations, emphasizing the need for safe and inclusive educational environments free from discrimination.