13 Federal Judges Won't Hire Columbia Graduates Over Campus Protests
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Thirteen federal judges declared on Monday that they will not hire new graduates of Columbia University barring “extraordinary change” at the college.
For Context: In recent weeks, Columbia has become the focal point of campus protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with pro-Palestinian student protesters having multiple confrontrations with the New York Police Department.
Key Quotes: In a letter sent to Columbia President Minouche Shafik, the judges state that since the Oct. 7 attack, the college has “become ground zero for the explosion of student disruptions, anti-semitism, and hatred for diverse viewpoints on campuses across the Nation.” The judges call for “Serious consequences for students and faculty who have participated in campus disruptions and violated established rules concerning the use of university facilities and public spaces and threats against fellow members of the university community.” The judges accuse Columia of having a double standard concerning the protesters, stating, “If Columbia had been faced with a campus uprising of religious conservatives upset because they view abortion as a tragic genocide, we have no doubt that the university’s response would have been profoundly different.” The letter concluded, “Considering recent events, and absent extraordinary change, we will not hire anyone who joins the Columbia University community—whether as undergraduates or law students—beginning with the entering class of 2024.”
How the Media Covered It: The announcement was covered moderately by right-rated outlets and scarcely by left-rated outlets. The National Review (Right bias) referred to the protesters as “anti-Israel” while Reuters (Center bias) labeled them “pro-Palestinian.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Conservative Judges Won’t Hire Columbia Law Clerks Over ProtestsA group of conservative federal judges say they won’t hire law clerks from Columbia University, saying they have “lost confidence” in the institution over its handling of student protests tied to the Israel-Hamas war.
The 11 judges — largely from Texas and all appointed by Donald Trump — said in a Monday letter to Columbia University President Minouche Shafik that they won’t hire law clerks who attended the institution as either undergraduates or law students, starting with next year’s entering class.
“Columbia has instead become an incubator of bigotry. As...
From the Center
Conservative US judges boycott Columbia grads over campus Gaza protestsA group of 13 conservative U.S. federal judges said on Monday that they would not hire law students or undergraduates from Columbia University in response to its handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The judges, all appointees of former U.S. President Donald Trump, called the Manhattan campus an “incubator of bigotry” in a Monday letter to Columbia President Minouche Shafik and Law Dean Gillian Lester.
"Both professors and administrators are on the front lines of the campus disruptions, encouraging the virulent spread of antisemitism and bigotry," the letter said.
Spokespeople for Columbia...
From the Right
Thirteen Federal Judges Pledge Not to Hire from Columbia, Call It an ‘Incubator of Bigotry’Thirteen federal judges say they will no longer hire Columbia University students as law clerks due to their behavior and the school’s handling of anti-Israel protests that drew nationwide attention, writing that “Columbia has disqualified itself from educating the future leaders of our country.”
The judges wrote a letter on Monday to Columbia president Minouche Shafik informing her of their decision to boycott the university because of the anti-Israel encampment and what they see as the school’s lack of viewpoint diversity.
“Columbia University has become ground zero for the explosion...
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