Santa Monica College warned by Office for Civil Rights over antisemitism claims
This week, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent letters to 60 colleges and universities across the nation, pertaining to investigations that have been launched over alleged antisemitic behavior on their campuses. Santa Monica College (SMC) was included in this list of warning recipients alongside national and state educational institutions including University of Southern California, University of California at San Diego and University of California at Santa Barbara.
In recent years, investigations into antisemitism on college campuses have increased due to a rise in reported incidents and growing concerns from students, faculty and Jewish advocacy groups. This trend comes after years of heightened political tensions, social justice campaigns, and increased awareness of hate crimes and discrimination.
Under the first Trump administration, the Department of Education addressed antisemitism on campuses in 2019 by extending Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protection against discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnicity, which includes Jewish students. This led to several investigations by the OCR into allegations of antisemitism at various universities.
After the attack at an Israeli music festival on Oct. 7, 2023 by terrorist group Hamas, which killed 1,200 civilians, including 40 Americans, and an estimated 251 people were taken into captivity, tensions rose again on campuses as many students chose to support either Israel or Palestine.
At SMC, a federal investigation was launched in 2023 after student group Students Supporting Israel (SSI) claimed to have been denied official club registration following the Oct. 7 attack.
Hillel International, an organization that advocates for Jewish students around the world, reported a 700% increase in hate incidents on college campuses from 2022 to 2023. As of March 13, 2025, Hillel has tracked 1,296 incidents on campuses during the current school year.
Throughout the summer of 2024, campuses across the nation saw protests boil over, leading to the suspensions and arrests of students, resignations of administrators, and an attack by a group of agitators on a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles.
International pro-Israel education organization StandWithUs issued a letter to SMC in June 2024, citing two incidents within the Ethnic Studies and Art departments and stating students were, “compelled to adopt opposing political viewpoints as truth.” The letter went on to say, “This is particularly concerning because we understand this course is mandatory for most students, who are being taught anti-Israel propaganda as though it were fact.”
Grace Smith, the director of public information for SMC, responded to the Corsair’s request for comment on the OCR warning letters, saying, “Santa Monica College remains committed to upholding a culture of inclusivity, where open dialog and respectful exchange of ideas can take place. Through professional development, mental and emotional health support for the college community, and other measures, the College has sought to build bridges and ensure students and colleagues are aware of their rights. SMC stands against anti-Semitism, just as the College stands against all forms of discrimination and hate.”
Speaking to Rabbi Eli Levitansky from Chabad at SMC, he said, “Students have mentioned there was another incident just within the last few weeks with this kind of curriculum.” Levitansky said, “I do not like to play victim, but if any other race or ethnicity were targeted like Jewish students have been, there would be backlash.”
These letters arrived the same week that Columbia University graduate student and pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil was detained without charges by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Khalil was a leader of the protests in 2024 at Columbia University and orchestrated negotiations between protesters and school administrators.
“We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.”
The SMC club Students for Justice In Palestine (SJP) held a club meeting on March 6; however, no members attended the meeting. The club has been sharing posts on their Instagram in support of Khalil. However, the club did not respond to the Corsair’s request for comment.