By Guy Page
Middlebury College today was named one of the most anti-Jewish colleges in America by the nonprofit advocacy group StopAntisemitism. The group is urging Jewish parents and students to reconsider their application, citing the college’s failure to condemn rising antisemitism on campus following the October 7 terrorist attacks that killed over a thousand Jews in Israel.
As at many college campuses, lengthy pro-Palestinian student protests followed the attacks.
The group’s 2024 “Antisemitism on College and University Campuses” Report Card gives Middlebury College the grade of “D,” for enabling antisemitic radicals and failing to address hate-driven behavior on campus. Most college applications are due within weeks across the United States.
Specifically, the report noted that most Jewish students polled have experienced anti-semitism, don’t feel safe on parts of the campus, feel blamed for Israel’s actions, and do not feel safeguarded. Just over half of the students would recommend Middlebury. Jews are not included in the school’s DEI statement, and the administration asked them to remove the word “Jewish” from a planned vigil to honor the victims of the 10/7/2023 invasion of Israel.
Founder and Executive Director, Liora Rez noted: “Middlebury College has utterly failed to protect its Jewish students, allowing harassment, exclusion, and violent antisemitism to thrive unchecked. Despite reports of discrimination, death threats, and open hostility, the administration has taken little to no meaningful action, abandoning Jewish students in their time of need. This negligence not only endangers Jewish students but also sets a dangerous precedent for intolerance on campus. Parents, do not fund this complicity with your tuition dollars. Choose institutions that prioritize the safety and inclusion of all students— Jewish students deserve better.”
Neither the Middlebury College website nor the student newspaper have yet published a response to StopAntisemitism’s the call for Jewish parents and students to boycott the college.