Does D.E.I. Help or Hurt Jewish Students?

In the wake of intensified anti-Israel protests following the Gaza conflict, universities like Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania established task forces to assess rising antisemitism on campuses.

Findings revealed that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) programs often overlook or even marginalize Jewish students. Reports indicated that Jewish students felt excluded from D.E.I. initiatives, which predominantly focus on other minority groups.

Some Jewish leaders argue that D.E.I. frameworks inadvertently perpetuate antisemitism by categorizing Jews as privileged or oppressors, neglecting the unique challenges they face. Incidents at institutions like the University of Michigan, where a diversity administrator was accused of making antisemitic remarks, and the University of Pittsburgh, where a training session on antisemitism was disrupted without intervention from D.E.I. officials, underscore these concerns.

While some advocate for the inclusion of Jewish experiences within existing D.E.I. structures, others propose a shift towards a more pluralistic approach that encompasses all identities equally.

Jonathan Feingold, a law professor at Boston University, suggests that without D.E.I. programs, efforts to combat campus antisemitism might diminish, emphasizing the need for these initiatives to evolve and address the specific needs of Jewish students.

Read Original Article: NY Times

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