Complaint Filed Against Diversity Professor at GWU
A mandatory diversity class taught by Lara Sheehi, a clinical psychologist at George Washington University (GWU), has been accused of creating a traumatizing class environment for Jewish students. The complaint was filed with the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in January, alleging that Sheehi’s class caused students to cry and take antidepressants.
Internal Probe Finds No Evidence of Wrongdoing
GWU released summary findings of an internal probe which found “no evidence that the discourse crossed the line.” However, the complaint alleges that Sheehi publicly berated a student for Islamophobia for using the term “terrorist attack,” and twisted students’ words to make them look like problems. Some students reported feeling demeaned and that their words were twisted to make them look like the problem, which is a form of antiSemitism.
Allegations of Anti-Semitic Actions in Class
According to the complaint, one student reported “crying” after Sheehi brought in a speaker who justified violence against civilians in Israel. When a student expressed feeling “unsafe in a program that would invite a speaker who endorsed violence against Israeli civilians,” Sheehi called the student’s comment a “damaging Islamophobic antiPalestinian” comment. Some students allegedly faced disciplinary proceedings that effectively silenced them after they complained about being subjected to antiSemitism.
StandWithUs Criticizes GWU Response
GWU denied any retaliation in its internal investigation, but StandWithUs, an Israel education group, challenged this statement. The group criticized the university’s response and called attention to the retaliatory process against students who raise concerns about discrimination. Sheehi is being represented by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which claims that the accusations against her are politically and ethnically motivated.
University Clears Professor of Discriminating Against Jewish and Israeli Students
In a separate incident, GWU cleared Sheehi of allegations made by StandWithUs that she had made anti-Semitic comments in class and brought in a guest speaker who shared anti-Zionist views. An outside law firm conducted a third-party investigation and found that Sheehi did not commit any wrongdoing. The university endorsed the findings of the third-party investigation.
Accusations Part of a Larger Campaign
Sheehi is being represented by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which claims that the allegations are part of a larger campaign motivated against her for her scholarship and political activism focused on Palestine. A Twitter account that the professor had used in the past to criticize “Israelis” and “Zionists” lay outside the purview of university discipline.
The accusations against Sheehi have once again brought up concerns about the treatment of Jewish students at GWU. The university has previously dealt with antisemitism controversies involving graffiti outside the campus Hillel and a damaged imitation Torah at a Jewish fraternity.
In conclusion, it remains to be seen what further action will be taken by both the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and George Washington University to address these allegations against Lara Sheehi’s diversity class.
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