Jewish students at MIT forced to abandon education as administration knowingly enables antisemitic harassment by its own faculty, according to a shocking new lawsuit filed in federal court.
Key Takeaways
- A lawsuit filed against MIT claims the university has become a “breeding ground” for antisemitism, with administration turning a blind eye to harassment of Jewish students and faculty
- MIT professor Michel DeGraff is specifically accused of harassing and doxxing Jewish community members, including mathematics instructor Lior Alon and former Ph.D. student William Sussman
- The complaint alleges MIT violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to address a hostile environment for Jewish students, especially following the October 2023 Hamas attack
- The lawsuit follows a similar successful action against Harvard University by the Brandeis Center, which resulted in Harvard adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism
MIT Accused of Fostering Antisemitic Environment
A damning lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and White & Case LLP has thrust MIT into an unwelcome spotlight. The 71-page complaint details how MIT allegedly allowed antisemitism to flourish unchecked on its campus, particularly after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The lawsuit specifically names MIT President Sally Kornbluth, accusing her of failing to take meaningful action against the surge of antisemitic incidents that followed the attack, including campus protests advocating violence against Jews, celebrations of the Hamas attack, and targeted harassment of Jewish and Israeli students.
“In the absence of moral leadership and meaningful action, the MIT campus was turned into a breeding ground of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli hate and hostility that emboldened students and professors to harass and discriminate against Jews and Israelis without restraint,” states the lawsuit.
The legal action portrays a university administration not merely negligent but complicit in creating an environment where Jewish students no longer feel safe. Kenneth Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center, has been particularly vocal in criticizing MIT’s approach, highlighting what he characterizes as a systematic failure to protect Jewish students from harassment, much of which allegedly came from within the university’s own faculty ranks.
Professor Accused of Targeted Harassment
At the center of the lawsuit is linguistics professor Michel DeGraff, who stands accused of directly harassing Jewish students and faculty. Among the plaintiffs are mathematics instructor Lior Alon and former Ph.D. student William Sussman, both of whom claim they were subjected to targeted harassment by DeGraff. According to the complaint, DeGraff publicly attacked Alon on social media, effectively doxxing the Israeli professor and creating serious concerns for his professional opportunities and personal safety. Similarly, Sussman alleges that DeGraff’s actions were so severe that they ultimately forced him to abandon his Ph.D. program at MIT.
“Not only were several anti-Semitic incidents conducted at the hands of a professor, but MIT’s administration refused to take action on every single occasion. The very people who are tasked with protecting students are not only failing them, but are the ones attacking them,” said Kenneth Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center.
Perhaps most troubling is the allegation that MIT conducted an investigation into DeGraff’s behavior but concluded that his actions did not constitute antisemitic conduct – a finding that the lawsuit vigorously contests. The university has reportedly removed DeGraff from the linguistics faculty and redesignated him as “faculty at large,” though this appears to have been in response to his public criticism of the university rather than his alleged harassment of Jewish community members.
Legal Implications and Precedent
The lawsuit claims MIT violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to address the hostile environment created for Jewish students. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and have outlined significant damages, including severe emotional distress, anxiety, and defamation. This case follows a similar action by the Brandeis Center against Harvard University, which resulted in a settlement and Harvard’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism – potentially signaling the path this new lawsuit might take.
“MIT administrators knowingly failed to take action to eliminate the hostile climate and discrimination against them or to stop the retaliation, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Individual Plaintiffs were also subjected to outrageous and wrongful conduct that has resulted in severe emotional distress and extreme anxiety and anguish. The Individual Plaintiffs were also defamed by a MIT professor,” states the complaint.
The Brandeis Center, founded in 2011, has established itself as a significant force in addressing antisemitism on college campuses through civil rights litigation. Kenneth Marcus, its founder, has emphasized that accountability must extend to both faculty and administration to effectively combat hate on campus. As this lawsuit proceeds, it may set important precedents for how universities across the nation address antisemitism and protect Jewish students’ civil rights in an increasingly polarized academic environment.
“In order to eradicate hate from campuses, we must hold faculty and the university administration responsible for their participation in —and in this case, their proliferation of — anti-Semitism and abuse,” said Kenneth Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center.
