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EXCLUSIVE: A number of students revealed the “extremist” viewpoints held by some university professors that “play a role” in fostering an antisemitic environment on campus, condoning anti-Israel protests and maintaining a bias message that is “not exactly something that should be promoted” at their respective schools.
Jewish students from NYU, Columbia, Barnard College and Baruch College sat down with Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview and exposed the “disturbing things” that have been said by professors at some of the top schools in New York City and in the U.S.
“I’ve had many peers share very disturbing things that professors have said in class, whether it’s in courses specifically related to Middle Eastern politics or in classes that should be completely absolved of anything happening in the Middle East,” TJ Katz of Columbia explained.
“We’ve had professors yell at students, not support students,” Mera Skoblo of NYU told Fox.
Jewish students from several top New York City universities told Fox News Digital that some professors are promoting extremist, antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric in classrooms, creating a hostile environment for Jewish students. (Indy Scholtens/Getty Images)
“Just the presence of these professors on campus, you know, a lot of them on their offices have signs saying things like, hands off our students, and they have free Palestine signs on their doorways,” Eliana Birman of Barnard explained.
“I had professors that were antisemitic,” Aidan Herlinger of Baruch told Fox. “I know students that have had professors that are antisemitic, we are put in positions where we can’t do anything about it, because it could cost us our grade.”
“We need to extricate extremists from the classroom, do departmental audits,” Shoshana Aufzien of Barnard added.
Anti-Israel protesters wave Palestinian flags in Washington Square Park in New York City on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
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Columbia University has been one of the most notorious campuses that has faced anti-Israel riots and demonstrations. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, hundreds of students and non-students have been arrested as a result of riots.
NYU faced similar, though less intense, protests on its NYC campus, including a Dec. 12, 2024, demonstration outside the university’s library where protesters called for an “intifada revolution” saying that “Tel Aviv is stolen land.”
Skoblo outlined her fears as a Jewish student on campus, saying that “a lot of us are scared.”
A pro-Gaza ceasefire tent encampment at Columbia University on April 28, 2024. (Getty Images)
“The past two years on college campuses across New York City have been difficult for Jewish students,” Skoblo told Fox. “Some of us hide our identities. We’ve been screamed at. We’ve been blocked out of our own library during finals week.”
“How are we supposed to study when we hear chanting that shouts towards our destruction, makes us feel unsafe and unheard,” Skoblo added.
When asked if faculty influenced or pressured students to adopt a specific stance in the Middle Eastern conflict, Aiden Herlinger from Baruch College said, “I think the professors definitely play a role.”
While the students explained that antisemitism has existed on college campuses for some time, students noted that the recent rise in tensions and anti-Israel rhetoric that came after Oct. 7, 2023, could be attributable to professors indoctrinating or influencing students to participate in demonstrations, some of which turned violent and led to expulsions, suspensions and arrests.
Police arrested more than 100 students at New York University who were protesting in support of students at Columbia University and to oppose Israel’s attacks on Gaza. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As for the consequences these professors may face for being accused by their own students of indoctrinating, Herlinger said there will likely be none.
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“[Professors are] not going to face any consequences, especially in a school like Baruch that’s a public school, and it’s funded by the New York State government, and New York City government,” Herlinger added.
“These are just professors that are not going to face consequences.“
Fox News Digital reached out to the schools for comment.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston Fox News’ Tessa Hoyos contributed to this report.
