A Republican-led effort to strip Harvard and other higher education institutions of federal funding is gaining momentum, as lawmakers in Congress call for defunding any institutions that allow antisemitism on campus. The push comes in response to Harvard's silence after student organizations at the school blamed Israel for a Hamas terrorist attack on its civilians. Sen. Tim Scott and a group of GOP senators introduced legislation to rescind federal education funding for colleges and universities that allow "violent antisemitism." Harvard President Claudine Gay and other Ivy League presidents testified before the House, which further fueled efforts to prevent tax dollars from going to institutions that tolerate antisemitism.
Rep. Eli Crane is introducing legislation to impose financial consequences on Harvard and other colleges if they foster antisemitism on campus. Crane argues that the American higher education system is a racket that forces taxpayers to subsidize schools and pay student loans, while schools indoctrinate students with hate and delusion. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who exposed policies on handling antisemitism at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT, is also seeking to pull federal funds from colleges that do not combat antisemitism effectively.
Powerful voices outside Congress are also joining the calls to defund colleges over their handling of antisemitism. Billionaire Harvard alum Bill Ackman announced that Harvard President Claudine Gay would not resign and the governing board would not fire her, prompting Elon Musk to respond with the hashtag "#DefundHarvard."
The effort to defund colleges and universities that tolerate antisemitism is gaining steam among Republican lawmakers and other prominent figures. They argue that taxpayer dollars should not support institutions that promote hate and genocide. The debate surrounding this issue highlights the ongoing struggle to address antisemitism on college campuses and raises questions about the role of federal funding in higher education.