In an interesting turn of events, the US Senate Judiciary Committee has now decided to weigh in on the issue of antisemitism at UC Irvine. In a letter to the US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (signed only by Republican Senators Jon Kyl, Sam Brownback, and Arlen Specter), certain members of the committee demand that the Office of Civil Rights pursue their investigation into claims of antisemitic harassment at UCI in part because the incidents on campus fall under Title VI, of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, that is, the prohibition of national origin discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal assistance. Despite prior policy statements from the Department of Education and the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the investigation narrowly tailored the negative use of “Jewish” as a critique of religious faith rather than national origin discrimination. The dually defined term “Jewish” is also in fact supported by case law. It was affirmed by the Supreme Court as both religion and national origin in Shaare Tefila Congregation v. Cobb, 481 U.S. 615 (1987).

The letter also notes that the Department of Education failed to interview claims of antisemitism from witnesses in the report sent to them from the Zionist Organization of America.

Nevertheless, the Muslim Student Union did in fact invite speakers who targeted Jewish involvement in politics, business, and culture. Absent was a scholarly debate on religious faith.

Documentation:

1. Here is the letter from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

2. Here is the original Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights Report in question.

Evidence of UC Irvine antisemitism:

1. Here is the report from the OC Independent Task Force.

2. Here is the report from the Zionist Organization of America.