Bipartisan Legislation Would Let the Government Create Speech-Chilling ‘Antisemitism Monitors’
On Friday, several House representatives introduced legislation that would permit the Education Department to create third-party antisemitism monitors at any college receiving federal funding. The purpose of the bill—the full text of which is not yet available—is to crack down on rising antisemitic speech on college campuses. However, the bill’s supporters fail to consider how an “antisemitism monitor” would create a chilling effect, curbing academic freedom and encouraging colleges to punish protected expression.Â
Following a growing number of pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, universities are facing increasing scrutiny over their handling of student demonstrations—especially as photos and video footage from these protests have often captured extremely inflammatory, offensive rhetoric from student activists.
In response, Reps. Mike Lawler (R–N.Y.) and Ritchie Torres (D–N.Y.) introduced the, ahem, carefully named College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability (COLUMBIA) Act. According to a Friday press release, the bill would allow the Education Department to appoint a third-party antisemitism monitor to any college receiving government funds. The department would have broad power to set the “terms and conditions of the monitorship,” and the colleges would be forced to pay the costs of their own antisemitism monitor. Schools that don’t comply with the monitoring would risk losing federal funding.
“Rising antisemitism on our college campuses is a major concern and we must act to ensure the safety of students,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R–N.Y.) said in the press release. “If colleges will not step up to protect their students, Congress must act
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