Holtzman Vogel Submits Antisemitism Complaint, Advocating for Jewish Students at Colorado College
Holtzman Vogel attorneys, including Jason Torchinsky, Erielle Davidson and John Cycon, and the National Jewish Advocacy Center (“NJAC”) have filed an antisemitism complaint on behalf of a cohort of current undergraduate Jewish students at Colorado College.
Antisemitism has surged on college campuses in the wake of the October 7 terror attack, and recent incidents at Colorado College indicate that Colorado College is no exception. Jewish students at Colorado College have been subjected to, among other things: genocidal chants, antisemitic slurs, pro-Hamas protests that prevent people from working and studying, rape denial from a school-sponsored speaker, ongoing refusals from the Administration to hire a coordinator of Jewish life, and the destruction of a student-made October 7 memorial with little to no response from the Administration. All of these acts reveal a troubling pattern of antisemitic discrimination against students based on their Jewish ethnicity and Israeli nationality. This is a direct violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin or ethnicity in educational programs receiving federal funds.
The complaint states that the events at Colorado College have gone unaddressed, with the administration failing to meet its obligations under Title VI, and have led to a number of Jewish students expressing their hesitation to return to campus in the fall.
“Colorado College must be held accountable for antisemitic acts that are occurring on campus and by staff. This directly violates the fundamental rights of individuals, and our legal action reaffirms Holtzman Vogel’s commitment to ensuring every person, regardless of background, can learn in an environment free from discrimination” said Jason Torchinsky, Partner at Holtzman Vogel.
The complaint requests Colorado College undertake many measures to comply with Title VI, including issuing a statement detailing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism and stating that the college will sanction those who don’t comply, setting up an Antisemitism Taskforce, investigating those who participated in the protest at Tutt Library, and more.
Mark Goldfeder, CEO and Director of NJAC, stated, “Schools that take federal funding have an affirmative obligation to maintain a discrimination-free environment.” Goldfeder continued, “Colorado College has repeatedly failed to protect its Jewish community, and, even when they were warned, the administration displayed a painful degree of deliberate indifference. We hope that this complaint will help them find their way if not to contrition then at least to compliance.”
Since the events of Oct. 7, Holtzman Vogel has represented students from universities across the country affected by antisemitism as well as victims of the October 7 terror attacks. The firm is committed to continuing to advocate for those impacted.
