{"id":93393,"date":"2022-03-16T17:05:10","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T15:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=93393"},"modified":"2022-03-09T09:59:30","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T07:59:30","slug":"03-05-74","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=93393","title":{"rendered":"I Don\u2019t Experience Antisemitism at Brooklyn College, So Why Do My Students?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>I Don\u2019t Experience Antisemitism at Brooklyn College, So Why Do My Students?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Alexandra Chana Fishman<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Ingersoll Hall at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Beyond My Ken \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The current political zeitgeist is distinguished by a growing culture of marginalization and exclusion on campus. And while professors should protect their students from political and ethnic bullying, this does not always happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, at times, the bullying is propagated by professors themselves. At Brooklyn College\u2019s Mental Health Counseling program, a formal complaint was opened by the Department of Education on February 3, 2022, after the Brandeis Center, a legal advocacy group, filed the initial complaint.<\/span><\/p>\n

The complaint stated that multiple professors at the Mental Health Counseling program propagate the narrative that \u201cJews are white and privileged and therefore contribute to the systematic oppression of people of color.\u201d Anonymous students who have complained also stated that faculty members have displayed overt prejudice towards Jews in both the classroom setting, and the lecture materials. A professor stated that \u201cAshkenazi Jews who immigrated to America have become part of the oppressors\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other students have continued the harassment in class and on social media. In a Whatsapp discussion group, for example, a student stated a desire to \u201cstrangle\u201d a Jewish student, and other students showed support. When another Jewish student tried to come to the first Jewish student\u2019s defense, they were called racist, dominant, and part of the \u201cwhite people who perpetuate power structures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Initially, Brooklyn College did not listen to the complaints. Students who tried to protest were met with suppression from faculty and the administration, as well as further discrimination, with comments like \u201cGet your whiteness in check,\u201d or \u201cKeep your head down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Antisemitism violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which states that discrimination cannot occur based on race, religion, or national origin. And a recent Executive Order stated that the definition of antisemitism for this purpose should be based on the IHRA\u2019s working definition.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

While I have heard complaints about antisemitism taking place on campus at Brooklyn College, I was shocked to read the above allegations. Yes, I saw students who prostrated themselves on the ground covered in fake blood on Israel\u2019s Independence Day. Yes, I also read the research published by the Brandeis Center identifying Brooklyn College as one of the most anti-Israel campuses in the United States. But when I reflect on my own experiences teaching at Brooklyn College as an adjunct professor in the last five years, I can say that I have not experienced antisemitism or discrimination at the school.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not for lack of transparency in my identity or observance. From the first day of school, upon which I introduce myself and list my academic credentials including a second masters in Judaic Studies, it is evident that I am Jewish. As the semester progresses, especially in culturally focused classes, there are a number of instances when my observance is evident. When the discussion calls for it, I will openly state that I am observant, religious, or Orthodox Jewish.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have never received hateful or spiteful remarks from students. But this is not surprising. As the lecturer for the semester, I am responsible for their grades, recommendations, etc. I am in power.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the issue of discrimination on campus might be classified as a macro issue based on administration, policy, or procedure, I want to propose that it is also a micro issue. A critical component is simply who is teaching the class. Will the professor create a safe space where students feel comfortable to express a multitude of religious, political, and other views? Or will the professor allow students to be bullied? Will the professor bully or discriminate?<\/span><\/p>\n

Professors, or those in power, must realize the enormous magnitude of their positions. Administrators must do the utmost to vet those in power. It is evident that the collective environment of unity and safety or discrimination and prejudice is reliant upon administration, procedure, and policy. However, it can also be determined by a single professor and their conduct in the classroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Alexandra Chana Fishman<\/strong> is a Research Fellow at ISGAP, a PhD student, and an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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I Don\u2019t Experience Antisemitism at Brooklyn College, So Why Do My Students? Alexandra Chana Fishman Ingersoll Hall at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Beyond My Ken \/ Wikimedia Commons The current political zeitgeist is distinguished by a growing culture of marginalization and exclusion on campus. And while professors should protect their students from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93393"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=93393"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93598,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93393\/revisions\/93598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}