COLUMBUS, Ohio — Students at The Ohio State University are reacting to the complaint that three groups filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, accusing the school of not acting appropriately following antisemitic incidents against Jewish students. 

What You Need To Know

  • Three organizations filed a formal complaint against The Ohio State University alleging the university failed to address antisemitic incidents on campus

  • StandWithUs, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights

  • Samantha Ginsberg, a senior at OSU who is Jewish, said that discrimination stems from ignorance and education is the best solution

“It's been really difficult to focus on school," Samantha Ginsberg said. "You know, we've been Jewish advocates first, students second."

Ginsberg is a senior accounting student at OSU who said she has been the victim of antisemitic incidents by fellow students. 

“We just feel that there's a culture of intolerance at this school for Jewish students who don't fit into a box that has been created for us,” Ginsberg said 

She said she has reached out to the administration for help, but she believes it is hard for them to understand. 

“We have been working with administration to explain to them what we've been going through and the hardships we've been facing and how we'd like them to respond, and just understanding where we're coming from and what we're going through because it is hard to understand if you're not a student and not experience seeing it day to day,” Ginsberg said.

The formal complaint was filed Tuesday by StandWithUs, the Anti-Defamation League and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The complaint claims that Jewish students have faced antisemitic incidents and outright physical assault. 

Ohio State University student Jaiden Davis works for the Center for Belonging and Social Change, and he said the university needs to do better at dealing with all discriminatory incidences. 

“I think ensuring that there is an equal engagement of attention to of discrimination for both Jewish and or Palestinian students," Davis said. "As I said previously, there has not been an equal attention to both issues of discrimination for both groups."

He said he has also seen antisemitic behavior from his classmates.  

“The instance where the Hillel building was vandalized was a specific instance of antisemitism," he said. "I also have been in classes where some students will spew antisemitic comments." The university says neither person responsible for the vandalism at the school’s Hillel building is a student at the school.

As for Ginsberg, she said she believes much of the discrimination stems from students being ignorant about Judaism and believes the best solution is education. 

“I think, you know, this is an institution of higher learning and I think it is totally acceptable for people to not know everything," she said. "And it's okay to not know things about a topic, but that just means that you should seek the education about that topic instead of just looking at social media or like not really doing the in-depth research that certain issues deserve."

In response to the complaint, Ohio State University released a four-page statement that states in part, it “will not tolerate hatred, intimidation or harassment of anyone based on their religious beliefs, nationality or identity.”

Correction: The university says neither person responsible for the vandalism at the school’s Hillel building is a student at the school. (April 11, 2024)