Leah Garrett's suit filed this month against Hunter College alleges that the public university, which regards itself as a "champion of tolerance," has not promptly resolved complaints of harassment and discrimination against Jewish students.
Zachary Marschall, editor in chief of Campus Reform, commends Professor Garrett's bravery.
"The CUNY (City University of New York) system is one of the most antisemitic … in the entire country," he tells AFN. "This is really the heart of where anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda meet and get churned out on social media and in protests in New York City."
According to the Anti-Defamation League's recently released annual report, there was a "staggering 477% increase" in incidents of assault, vandalism, harassment, and more compared to the same period in 2022-2023.
In summary, the CUNY system is one not only with "a lot of systemic institutionalized anti-Jewish feelings, but it's also one of the worst places for Jews to be," Marschall points out. "So, I have nothing but praise for this professor. Just filing this lawsuit is an act of bravery."
He is optimistic about 2025.
"I think we're heading in the right direction when it comes to restoring sanity and tolerance in higher education," the editor submits. "It's going to be a long, gradual process, but I think we're finally headed in the right direction."
