Johns Hopkins University under investigation for potential civil rights violations
BALTIMORE - The Federal Department of Education has added Johns Hopkins University to the list of schools under investigation for potential civil rights violations.
WJZ has reached out to Johns Hopkins University for comment.
At this point, it's not clear if there was a specific incident that sparked that investigation.
The department's list of open "Title Six Shared Ancestry Investigations" reveals that a probe into JHU was launched Tuesday.
Title Six of the 1964 Civil Rights Act says, "No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
In November 2023, the department put schools on notice about those Title Six rights, as there was a sharp jump in reports of both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the wake of the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas against Israel.
In the months since, campuses across America have seen protests from opposing groups who support Israel or Palestinian rights.
Johns Hopkins University sent WJZ this statement: "We do not yet have full details of the complaint but will cooperate fully with the Office of Civil Rights as they review any allegations.
Johns Hopkins University abhors anti-Semitism and discrimination of any kind. We strive to foster a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for each member of our community. Our campuses have not been immune to the rise in religious hate that has occurred around the nation and the world in recent months. We too have seen an increase in reports of anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia since last October, including incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti on our campuses. We take these reports very seriously and refer them for review and investigation by our Office of Institutional Equity.
Since the attacks of October 7th, university leaders and staff have been in frequent communication with student groups and individual students, staff, and faculty to hear how we can help our community feel supported and safe. As members of our university community continue to feel the impact of the crisis in the Middle East, we remain committed to ensuring they have the resources they need to feel safe and welcome on our campuses.
As an academic community, we are guided by the principles of academic freedom and the right to free expression for every member of our community, including their right to protest, demonstrate and share their views. At the same time, threats, acts of hate or discrimination, including religious discrimination, violate university policy and our student code of conduct and are antithetical to the values of the university."