Bottom line: I was ecstatic when I got into Columbia Law School. It had its issues, but I got a very strong education and it opened many doors for me professionally. Now I am completely horrified and dismayed at what is happening on campus. It’s a disgrace and I am extremely troubled by the university’s politics and its treatment of Jewish students.
It saddens me that I paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for a law degree from an institution that can’t engage in logical, critical thought. As a law student, I was taught that my peers would be the future leaders of a great country. Instead, Columbia is essentially supporting the proliferation of terror and extremism.
The beautiful campus on which I proudly received my law degree would not be open to me or my people now.
To speak in more colloquial terms. On Monday, as I went into chag, I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I’ve always been proud that I got my law degree from Columbia. It makes me sick to see what is going on there.
Looking back, however, I faced issues at my first event at Columbia – the welcome dinner.
One guy – self-hating because his father was Jewish – asked me how I felt about the “fact” that my people killed Jesus. It was like a slap in the face.
I didn’t report it because I didn’t want to be “that girl” going forward. It’s a major regret now.
But it set a tone. There was definitely an undercurrent that made me feel that there was one acceptable lens with which to view the world. That lens seems to have taken over.
No response from dean, president of the university
I conveyed my thoughts to Dean Gillian Lester a couple of times. No response.
I’m not certain of all of the motivations of President Minouche Shafik, but it seems completely clear to me that the “protests”, which are basically pro-Hamas encampments, should be shut down.
There have been very few consequences for really bad actions by students and faculty. And the fact that she’s negotiating with them is mind-boggling.
Plus the school’s treatment of Israeli-American Prof. Shai Davidai – deactivating his ID for having exercised his First Amendment right to free speech and provided his viewpoint – is appalling. There is a crazy double standard at play here.
As an aside, I knew David Schizer personally. He’s the head of the antisemitism task force at Columbia now. He was dean of the law school when I attended.
I want to say that when I knew him, David Schizer was a nice, caring, reasonable person. I don’t know if he’s being overruled or what is happening behind the scenes, but this is his moment to step up. To fight for his people. I know he cares.
The writer is a Columbia Law School alumna (2003-2006), and former president of the Jewish law students association.
