Warner and Kaine Urge Department of Education to Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia on College Campuses

Letter

Dear Secretary Cardona:

We write to express our concern about the alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the
United States following the recent violence in Israel and Gaza. These events have had a profound
impact on our college and university campuses, where students of all backgrounds come together
to learn and engage.

The United States prides itself on being a nation that values diversity, inclusion, and religious
freedom. Unfortunately, hate-fueled incidents targeting Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian, and
Arab students on our college campuses have shown that we still have much work to do to uphold
these values. Incidents such as hateful rhetoric, harassment, vandalism, and threats have been
reported,1 creating an environment of fear and vulnerability for students, many of whom have
deep and personal connections to the region and the ongoing conflict.

At Stanford University, an Arab Muslim student was the victim of a hit-and-run, where the
perpetrator shouted vulgar and racist remarks during his attack.2 At Cornell University, a student
posted violent threats online against the Jewish community, subsequently leading to his arrest.3
Sadly, these are just a few of the startling incidents reported across the country, and we must do
all we can to prevent it from growing.

We want to commend the Department of Education for the creation of the Antisemitism
Awareness Campaign, which lays out a set of initiatives to ensure that all students, including
Jewish students, are able to attend school free from discrimination.4 Recent events have
highlighted the urgency and importance of continuing and expanding this campaign, which we
urge you to do.

1 USA Today, "Jewish and Muslim organizations denounce attacks against college students," November 4, 2023,
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/04/anti-jewish-muslim-attacks-rising-across-the-u-scolleges/71457844007/.
2 The Washington Post, "Hit-and-run injuring Muslim Stanford student sparks hate-crime probe," November 6,
2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/11/06/muslim-stanford-student-hit-run-hate-crime/.
3 The U.S. Department of Justice, "Cornell Student Arrested for Making Online Threats to Jewish Students on
Campus," October 31, 2023, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/cornell-student-arrested-making-online-threatsjewish-students-campus.
4 The U.S. Department of Education, "U.S. Department of Education Launces Antisemitism Awareness Campaign,"
May 25, 2023, https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-launches-antisemitism-awarenesscampaign.

2

Similarly, in following the Administration's recent announcement to establish the first-ever
National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia,5 we urge you to build upon that and create an
Islamophobia Awareness Campaign for educational institutions. Through this effort, it is critical
to acknowledge that Islamophobia also hurts those who are not of the Muslim faith. Individuals
perceived to be Muslim, such as members of the Christian Arab and Sikh community, have
unfortunately experienced the pain of anti-Muslim hate.

As you work to combat these various acts of hate, we also ask you to expand outreach to Jewish,
Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab student communities. This outreach should aim to address
the specific concerns and challenges faced by these communities and provide a platform for
support and action. By actively listening and understanding their unique concerns, we can work
towards creating an environment where students feel safe, heard, and protected.

Additionally, we were pleased to learn that the Department of Education recently issued a Dear
Colleague reminding schools of their legal obligation to provide all students with a learning
environment free from discrimination.6 This Dear Colleague included an updated discrimination
complaint form, which specifies additional protections for students under Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. We appreciate these efforts and request that you continue to provide
comprehensive information and resources from the Department of Education's Office of Civil
Rights to colleges and universities. These tools can empower educational institutions to respond
effectively to and report discrimination, harassment, bias, and related incidents.

In the face of these challenges, it is essential that we stand together as a nation against
discrimination, xenophobia, and bigotry. Hate has no place in America, and our educational
institutions play a pivotal role in ensuring that.

We look forward to your continued dedication to this important issue. We are hopeful that,
together, we can create a safer environment for students at our colleges and universities.

Sincerely,

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