University of Chicago accused of anti-Palestinian discrimination in federal complaint

CHICAGO (CBS) — A new school year is upon us and Chicago-area universities continue to grapple with allegations of discrimination from students protesting the war in Gaza.

In the latest development, a new civil rights complaint has been filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights against the University of Chicago, accusing the school of anti-Palestinian discrimination and censorship.

In the federal civil rights complaint filed by independent advocacy group Palestine Legal, a large coalition of student groups describe multiple incidents from October 2023 to June 2024 that they say violated their civil rights through “a pattern of discrimination , which has led to increasing discrimination”. Hostile environment at UChicago for Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students and affiliated students.

The complaint calls on the federal government to step in and investigate what it says is a failure to protect Palestinian students from discrimination on campus.

K is a UChicago student who detailed her experiences in the complaint – one of a few hundred students involved in the UChicago United for Palestine coalition.

K said she was attacked by a federal marshal in February because she tried to ask a question of a Florida district judge who was giving a lecture at the university and supporting Israel.

“I tried to ask a question – approached me. I wore a keffiyeh,” said K. “I am Jewish. But the U.S. Marshal responded to the keffiyeh by stepping in and punching me hard in the chest.”

In May, CBS News Chicago also spoke with another student: Yousef Haswehagainst whom disciplinary proceedings were initiated and whose diploma was withheld due to his involvement in the crime pro-Palestinian camp on campus. He is also part of the complaint.

Students also reported doxxing by other students and police surveillance of Muslim students on campus.

The complaint also alleged that they alerted the university to the harassment, but the school did not stop it.

K was also threatened with disciplinary proceedings by the university.

“The university has instead chosen to prioritize these disciplinary procedures and this police surveillance,” said K. “In fact, new policies have been put in place to prevent the same type of protest that we saw last year.”

In response to the filing, UChicago did not comment on the complaint but provided the following statement:

“The University of Chicago values ​​and welcomes students of all backgrounds. The university has worked over many years to create an inclusive environment where everyone has the freedom to participate in university life, and we are proud of this ongoing commitment.”

“The University prohibits unlawful harassment and discrimination, takes allegations of such behavior seriously, and is committed to preventing and combating harassment and discrimination.”

The new developments come after the university announced it had received a $100 million donation from an anonymous donor to “advance UChicago's commitment to free expression.”

“UChicago tries to claim that it's different, that it's this free speech campus, but in reality it's only a free speech campus if that free speech is the speech it likes,” K said.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights would not confirm Friday whether an investigation had been opened. If the case opens and violations are found, a university's federal funding could be at stake.

Similar complaints have already led to federal investigations Northwestern University and the University of Illinois Chicago.