"In the aftermath, we had a number of Jewish families, both students at Ivy League and other universities, and their parents who came to us to say that the atmosphere on campus was hostile and frightening and threatening to their kids," Marc Kasowitz, with Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, said.
Kasowitz's firm represents Yakoby and other plaintiffs. The firm also has pending lawsuits against Columbia University, New York University and Harvard University.
"The universities have permitted environments where antisemitism has been commonly accepted for years," Kasowitz said.
The Penn complaint suggests a history of antisemitism on campus since 2015. One alleged example occurred last September when the university hosted the "Palestine Writes Literature Festival."
Magill resigned following continued criticism and falling short of saying whether calling for the genocide of Jews was in violation of Penn's Code of Conduct on Bullying or Harassment.
It was not until May 20, the same day Yakoby and his classmates graduated and six months after the task force was formed, that final recommendations were released.
The task force recommended Penn increase its efforts to promote Jewish and cross-cultural studies and clearly express its opposition to calls to divest against Israel.
CBS Philadelphia has made several attempts to interview interim Penn president Dr. J. Larry Jameson and university officials regarding the complaint and task force recommendations. A university spokesperson declined to comment.
In court filings, Penn lawyers responded to the complaint and said they "condemn antisemitism, emphatically, and unconditionally." The response states although plaintiffs like Yakoby may disagree with Penn's response, "this lawsuit is not the right vehicle for their grievances."
"My hope for Penn is that they find their North Star. Is that their moral compass, courage are restored to Penn," Yakoby said.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0