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Georgia rep reintroduces Anti-Semitism Awareness Act... but will it pass?

Updated: Aug 28, 2019

Campus Reform

Adam Sabes Aug 09, 2019


  • Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins reintroduced the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act to the House of Representatives.

  • Campus Reform interviewed a supporter of the legislation from pro-Israel nonprofit StandWithUs.

  • But not all are pleased with the legislation....


Campus Reform spoke Wednesday with a director from a nonprofit combating anti-Semitism after Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins reintroduced the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which would enable the Department of Education to investigate allegations of anti-Semitism on college campuses.


The bill, similar versions of which were introduced in 2016 and 2018, as reported by Mondoweiss, would add the definition of anti-Semitism as a form of discrimination covered under Title VI protections in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.


Specifically, the anti-Semitism definition used is the one adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which is also used by the U.S. Department of State: ā€œAnti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.ā€


The bill states that anti-Semitism remains an issue in public schools across the country, including colleges and universities.


ā€œAnti-Semitism, and harassment on the basis of actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics with a religious group, remains a persistent, disturbing problem in elementary and secondary schools and on college campuses,ā€ the bill states.


ā€œThe Anti-Semitism Awareness Act provides the Department of Education an effective tool for investigating whether prohibited discriminatory actions have become a barrier to learning,ā€ Collins said in a press release. ā€œWe want to provide the department with the resources necessary to protect the First Amendment rights of students and to ensure all students receive equal educational opportunities.ā€


Carly Gammill, director of the StandWithUs Center for Combating anti-Semitism and council for litigation strategy, told Campus Reform that the bill is a response to an increasing amount of anti-Semitism on college campuses and public schools.


ā€œThe purpose of the legislation is to give Jewish students the same Title VI protection from discrimination that other minority groups enjoy -- no more, no less,ā€ Gammill said.

Gammill told Campus Reform that the bill does not permit any infringement on First Amendment rights and ā€œmerely requires the Department of Education to ā€˜take into consideration’ the IHRA definition of antisemitism when assessing potential Title VI violations.ā€


But not all are in favor of the legislation.


ā€œSupporters of Israel have become more brazen in painting almost any critique of Israel as anti-semitic while discarding free speech and academic freedom,ā€ Duke University Ph.D. candidate Aman AberraĀ told Mondoweiss. ā€œThis produces a chilling effect, where students are less willing to wade into this issue, since it’s perceived as dangerous to their reputations or careers.ā€


Over the past year, Campus Reform has covered various related stories on college campuses. For example, the Department of Education opened an investigation into Williams College in May, after a pro-Israel student organization was denied official recognition by its college council.


At Syracuse University, students even received course credit for participating in an anti-Israel internship.


Read the full article HERE.

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