(June 6, 2025): Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) joins a panel on NTD News to discuss the latest announcement from the Trump Department of Education that Columbia University is violating federal civil rights laws and failing to meet accreditation standards. According to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education–of which Columbia is a member–all accredited institutions must show that they are complying with federal law. But because Columbia is acting with “deliberate indifference” toward Jewish students suffering unlawful discrimination and harassment as required under Title VI, Columbia is not meeting accreditation standards.

SLF explains, “There is no doubt that there has been a severe and pervasive pattern of discrimination here…There are about 93 factual findings in the May 22nd letter that the Department of Education and HHS sent to Columbia University noting the many instances of discrimination here. And the law is very clear: they have to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity and equal access to education, and that’s simply not happening for Jewish students on the campus of Columbia University right now.”

SLF describes how students feel unsafe simply trying to walk to class following Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Far beyond peaceful assembly, America witnessed protestors at Columbia and colleges across the country call for genocide, engage in true threats of violence, and even engage in actual violence on campus.

Colleges and universities receiving federal financial assistance–“hard-earned taxpayer dollars” must follow the law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, and more. Columbia failed to do so, and therefore its accreditation is at risk. SLF is hopeful that Columbia and other like-minded universities come into compliance to stop discrimination and harassment against Jewish students on campus.

Watch the full discussion at NTD.com.