PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The U.S. Department of Education has added Temple University to its growing list of schools and universities under investigation by its Office for Civil Rights over allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus.
Temple is the third university in Philadelphia added to the list of potential Title VI violations since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Specific details of the investigation were not released.
In November, the Department of Education announced investigations into the University of Pennsylvania, Lafayette College and several other schools across the country. The schools are being investigated for possible discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, which violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Drexel and Rutgers were added to that list in December. The department on Tuesday also announced an investigation into Muhlenberg College in Allentown.
The University of Pennsylvania was removed from that list, a Penn spokesperson clarified Wednesday, because a class action lawsuit with the same allegations, seeking the same relief as the prior case, was filed in federal court on Dec. 5, 2023.
In a statement provided to KYW Newsradio, Temple said it “unequivocally condemns hate and discrimination against any person and will always strive to ensure that all of our students, faculty, and staff feel welcomed and safe in our community and throughout our campus.”
The university said it intends to comply with the investigation, adding, “As this situation evolves, the university will continue to adapt, ensuring that all members of this community have access to the support and resources that they need.”
CLARIFICATION: In the case of the University of Pennsylvania, a class action lawsuit filed in federal court in December rendered moot the Department of Education's investigation. The article has been edited to reflect this.