San Diego State University is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. What is the reason? In 21st-century America, where certain demographics are perpetual victims, it was not surprising that someone thought this email offensive.
Campus Reform spoke with an SDSU spokesperson who confirmed the university was informed about the investigation. The complaint stated that SDSU “discriminated” against Arabs, Muslims, and Islamic students in sending the all-campus email of Oct. 9. It also claimed that it “promoted hatred and racism towards Arabs and Muslims”.
In November, the DOE released a press statement stating that it was investigating the “rise of antisemitism and antisemitic, antisemitic, antisemitic, antisemitic, antisemitic, antisemitic and anti-Arab discrimination on college campuses, as well as in K-12 school since the October 7, Israel-Hamas Conflict.”
Notice the word “attacks” is replaced by “conflict”. Note the absence of “terrorism” and the use of the word “conflict.”
The press release issued by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona included, besides these issues, the phrase “Hate is not welcome in our schools.” The press release also expressed concern about Jewish, Muslim, and Arab students, as well as Sikhs, Sikhs, and other students who share a common ancestry or ethnicity.
In the release, DOE said it wants to ensure “safe and inclusive environments”. The release concludes, “These investigations demonstrate how seriously the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Education take our responsibility to protect children from hate and discrimination.”
Please remind me of what the Biden administration has done since October 7, 2023, to protect Jews, on and off campus, from violence, intimidation, or harassment. You won’t be insulted by my waiting.
The email has been made public and I expect that the investigation will be short. The full text is available here. Let’s look at a few excerpts to see what might have made someone run for safety.
SDSU has maintained direct contact with dozens of community members affected by the Hamas attack on Israel during Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret. The reports are heartbreaking.
We grieve for those who have suffered in the wake of this violent outburst. We condemn any violence, but especially that which is directed at innocent civilians. We are shocked by the number of innocent Israelis and Palestinians who have died, as well as countless other civilians.
We are encouraging all students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of the available services.
This isn’t exactly incendiary language, especially when you consider the list of resources for counseling at the bottom. If you read through the entire letter, you’ll see that it contains no anti-Arabic, anti-Muslim, or anti-Sikh sentiments. Not a single word.
A grad student teaching assistant or tenured professor (or some other type of malcontent) decided to fake a grievous injury. The DOE continues the policy of the administration to wear shining armor and attack an imaginary dragon while a real monster is ravaging the country.
