The George Washington University chapter of the American Association of University Professors (GWU-AAUP) sharply criticized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) after federal officials accused the university of failing to address antisemitism on campus.
On August 12, the DOJ announced it had determined GWU violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by “acting deliberately indifferent” to complaints from Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in the agency’s statement, “Every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment or abuse. No one is above the law, and universities that promulgate antisemitic discrimination will face legal consequences.”
The GWU-AAUP rejected that conclusion in a statement issued August 19, calling the DOJ’s findings an attempt to “chill academic debate and crush academic freedom.” The faculty group argued that the federal government conflated criticism of Israeli state actions with antisemitism and warned that such framing threatens protected speech.
“The DOJ’s August 12 statement claiming a ‘finding’ of ‘deliberate indifference’ to campus antisemitism is based on no known investigative procedure. It conflates legitimate campus protest against actions taken by the state of Israel with hatred of, or discrimination against, Jewish people at large,” the AAUP chapter wrote. “That is a dangerous conflation designed to rule legitimate political speech out of bounds by mischaracterizing the words and motivations of those engaged in it.”
The faculty association noted that some of the most vocal critics of Israeli policies on campus are Jewish students and faculty, who, it said, deserve the same First Amendment protections as any other community members. “It is clear that the DOJ’s attack on the GW community has nothing to do with fighting antisemitism and everything to do with ending the culture of free speech and open inquiry,” the statement read.
The chapter also tied the dispute to the Trump administration’s broader opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which have been targeted by federal officials. “Ironically, efforts at Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have exactly this aim, yet they are under attack from Trump’s administration,” GWU-AAUP said.
Calling on university leadership to resist federal pressure, the chapter urged administrators to work with faculty, staff, and students to protect protest rights. “This includes all of our community members who have been stalked, arrested, doxxed, censured, and expelled for engaging in First Amendment-protected speech critical of Israel’s mass killing of civilians in Gaza,” the statement said.
The standoff highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and higher education institutions, as universities navigate the line between addressing discrimination and safeguarding academic freedom.
