(The Center Square) – Florida Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio have introduced the Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act.
Antisemitism on college campuses has risen since the harrowing Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-backed attack on Israel. War has raged in Gaza since.
The legislation aims to hold Institutes of Higher Education accountable by ensuring they enforce federal consequences.
“Jewish students deserve to be safe, and any college or university in this nation that’s enabling antisemitism on campus and leaving students terrified for their safety must be held accountable,” Scott in a statement. “Colleges and universities must reject all forms of hate and prejudice and hold those accountable who are complicit in the rise in antisemitism we are seeing on campuses across the country. I am proud to join Senator Rubio in introducing the Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act to address these issues head-on.”
Any federally funded programs in the United States are legally obligated by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Act would heavily enforce Title VI and extend it to prohibit discrimination based on religion with certain religious exceptions and provide clear, steep penalties for institutions that are repeat offenders.
The Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter in May 2023 reminding them of the legal obligation to “provide all students, including Jewish students, a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.”
Cases of antisemitic harassment have increased by 500%, according to ATL reports, and the senators say institutions across the country have done nothing about the prevention or punishment of those involved.
“Colleges and universities claim to value diversity and inclusion but have failed to address dangerous antisemitic incidents that have been plaguing campuses for the past year,” Rubio said in a statement.
Previously, two congressional committees were investigating potential civil rights violations related to antisemitism by a federal program flush with $4 billion in taxpayer funds, leading to questions of how antisemitic behavior on campus was permitted for so long.
Rubio said, “My Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act is a critical step toward ensuring that our educational institutions carry out their responsibility to protect Jewish students from hate and discrimination.”
The Act also requires institutions to notify students, faculty, and staff if they violate Title VI.
The last requirement asks the Education Department to monitor all private lawsuits against any institution that receives federal financial assistance in relation to antisemitism.