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A Harvard student said Jewish students on campus felt “unwelcome” in some classes amid a new multibillion-dollar lawsuit from the Trump administration over the school’s alleged anti-Semitism.
Last week, Trump’s Justice Department filed a 44-page lawsuit against the Ivy League institution “[failing] to protect its Jewish students,” and Harvard sophomore Teja Billa told Fox News Digital that the university failed to implement all the anti-Semitism measures the school said it would.
“Jewish students and Israeli students feel unwelcome in certain courses about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Billa told Fox. “Overall, I don’t think all the steps that the task force was tasked with dealing with have been implemented. It’s great to come out with a task force report, but it really needs action on Harvard’s part.”
A Harvard student says Jewish students feel unwelcome in some classrooms as the Trump administration sues the university for allegedly failing to address racism. (Sophie Park/Bloomberg)
“I really hope that Harvard and the administration can reach some kind of negotiated agreement that preserves funding for very important research at Harvard while also addressing the really widespread and serious cases of bias and anti-Semitism that we found in the report and that we have not fully addressed,” Billa said.
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The Trump administration announced the case last week, when Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the rise of anti-Semitism and universities for “allowing” such sentiments to exist in schools across the country.
“Since October 7, 2023, many of our educational institutions have allowed anti-Semitism to flourish on campus – including Harvard,” Bondi said in a statement. “[This lawsuit] underscores the Trump Administration’s commitment to bettering our nation’s schools and ending discriminatory behavior that harms students. “
Attorney General Pam Bondi tied the case to growing reports of anti-Semitism on college campuses, and said the federal government wants tougher measures at institutions like Harvard. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty)
Robert Kennedy Jr. he also weighed in on the suit, noting the significant amount of federal funding that goes into various educational institutions.
“Every student deserves to learn without fear of harassment or ostracism,” said the secretary of Health and Human Services. “When institutions take taxpayer dollars, they accept a duty to protect human rights. We hold Harvard accountable for the principle that anti-Semitism has no place in any program funded by the American people.”
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Last April, the Ivy League school revealed the findings of an internal team investigating antisemitism at Harvard. Their findings indicated that approximately 40 percent of Jewish students do not feel “at home” at the university.
The panel’s report also found that about 26% of Jewish students feel “physically unsafe.”
Harvard President Alan Garber has apologized for the university’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism, admitting it had a negative impact on students following an internal report. (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Harvard University President Alan Garber apologized following the release of the report, while admitting racism existed at the school.
“I apologize for the times we have failed to meet the high expectations we have placed on our community,” Garber said in the letter. “Grave, the major impact of the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel and its aftermath has had serious consequences for our institution.”
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In Billa’s interview with Fox News Digital, he said one possible solution would involve determining what a top university’s faculty actually looks like.
The Department of the Army has announced that it will end all professional military education programs through Harvard University beginning in the 2026-27 school year. (Associated Press)
“I think there should be different opinions that we see from professors,” explained Billa. “We will do a survey of the faculty, and it will show that the professors themselves are very left-leaning, and that will not be able to find all the relevant opinions on the issue.”
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Billa also noted that students are afraid to talk about hot topics because they are worried about conflicting opinions and professors affecting their grades.
On the other hand, many students feel hesitant or afraid to talk about controversial topics in class,” continued Billa. “Most of the graduating seniors actually reported that they would not talk in class because they were afraid of being withdrawn or they were afraid that maybe it would be a distraction.”
A Harvard spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they have implemented anti-Semitism policies and said the university “cares deeply about the members of our Jewish and Israeli community.”
“Harvard has taken serious steps to address the root causes of anti-Semitism and enforces laws and policies against harassment and discrimination on campus,” a spokesperson explained. “We have also improved training and education about antisemitism for students, faculty, and staff and introduced programs to encourage civil dialogue and respectful disagreement inside and outside the classroom. Harvard’s efforts show the very opposite of willful indifference.”
News tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and X @MizellPreston
