antisemitism

Gov. Mike Braun is ordering a review of state universities’ policies and responses to antisemitism. The executive order comes after the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights warned of “potential enforcement actions” against Indiana University Bloomington and 59 other schools if they don’t “protect Jewish students on campus.”

The group wrote that they are ‘profoundly concerned about the escalating rise of antisemitism and harassment of Jews besetting IU.’

Lawmakers last week believed they found a compromise on a controversial bill to define and ban antisemitism in public education institutions. Gov. Eric Holcomb said things have changed since then as he weighs whether to sign the measure into law.

He previously warned, in a statement released before both chambers approved the negotiated language, that “anything less” than the original proposal “is a betrayal of Jewish individuals and the whole notion of equal protection under the law.”

The bill stalled this month amid persistent disagreement between lawmakers in the legislative session’s final days. The final version made concessions in language that was opposed by critics of Israel.

Disagreements among Indiana lawmakers could stop passage of a bill aiming to address antisemitism on college campuses for the second year in a row.

The Republican priority measure doubles down against antisemitism on Hoosier colleges campuses.

Faculty and Staff for Israel have about 60 members on Indiana University's Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses.

She also said IU has taken “swift and comprehensive” action against reports of antisemitism.

The amended language uses the same definition from the IRHA, but no longer references the organization or its examples.