Federal Judge Dismisses MIT Antisemitism Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that accused the university of failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas attacks. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns found that MIT took appropriate actions to address on-campus protests threatening Jewish students' safety, contrary to the claims of the plaintiffs. The lawsuit filed by two students alleged MIT's inaction constituted a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, but the judge concluded that MIT's response was reasonable and did not demonstrate deliberate indifference. In contrast, a similar lawsuit against Harvard University is set to proceed, with the judge noting that Harvard's response to antisemitic incidents was inadequate and inconsistent. This legal scrutiny reflects ongoing tensions at U.S. universities regarding the balance between free speech and student safety amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.