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Susan B. Tuchman, Director of the Zionist Organization of America’s Center for Law & Justice, joins Peter Reitzes to discuss using the law to protect the safety of Jewish students at Duke University.
On today’s podcast, Ms. Tuchman is asked to review the initial complaint that the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) filed in 2019 with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. This initial complaint was related to a one-sided, Israel bashing conference sponsored by UNC and Duke that included an antisemitic performance. Then Ms. Tuchman is asked about a second complaint ZOA filed in March of 2020 with OCR alleging that Duke University violated the Resolution Agreement the university signed and submitted to OCR in December of 2019 related to antisemitism on campus.
Ms. Tuchman is asked about the tremendous fear that some Jewish students face on the campus of Duke University because of their love and support for Israel. For example, Duke students reported to ZOA sending emails to university officials stating, “I don’t feel safe on campus,” “I am terrified to walk to class right now,” and “The onslaught continues. I fear for my safety and the safety of Jewish students.” Ms. Tuchman is asked about a Duke student who recently stated on a Voice4Israel Zoom event that one or more students had been advised by the university to “watch their backs” and consider a police escort to class.