University Students Protesting

Jaws dropped at universities across the country this spring when student protests flared and escalated. The protests were against Israel and occured after a violent and intense showdown in Gaza and their numbers and locations were extensive. This went from Maine all the way to Alaska. Some schools had to call for authorities to intervene. National attention centered around Columbia University, where a group called Students for Justice in Palestine sparked the start of many of these peaceful but not so peaceful protests and encampments. These students were asking their universities to quit doing business with Israel and its supporters. The Trump administration has taken a stance on these happenings. The DOE is taking a step back and examining five universities. They are being scrutinized for possible anti-semitic harassment towards students who are Jewish. Why? Because Student Protests inspired by Israel-Palestine conflict might have reached a fever pitch and gone too far. The universities asked to take a break and calm down are: North West, Portland State, through to Minnesota. The department of Education is asking the universities to stand up and fight harassment of students who are Jewish.

The anti-Israel demonstrations that started as sit-ins and then protests, kept students up at night with constant peer pressure. Many students were arrested and they were suspended and reinstated. There were no expulsions. There were also examples of students being scared to be a religious minority. Many students being vocal about what they were experiencing. The controversy coincided with Columbia's 29% drop in donations. That’s a chunk of 21. 4 million dollars for a university that is one of the longest running and most prestigious. As a result of a letter from the Department of Education, Columbia is being hounded with demands to stand tall and eradicate these issues. The university responded and said that they emphatically reject anti-semitism in all of its forms. And that they think that it is vital to make sure that students of all faiths are kept safe while they are studying. Meanwhile, anti-Israel encampments kickstart more protests. Four students at Columbia, for example, repeatedly shouted "NYPD, KKK, IDF, you are all the same" and "intifada. " Their actions were disruptive and made students feel unsafe.

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