Yes, a Jewish student can be unbiased

Like many across the country, I was stunned to read reports concerning the February 10^th meeting of the UCLA Undergraduate Students Association Council. At that meeting, several Council members explicitly stated reservations against confirming a candidate to the UCLA Judicial Board based on her Jewish religion. I was appalled upon reading statements such as, “Given that you are a Jewish student and very active in the Jewish community, how do you see yourself being able to maintain an unbiased view?”  UCLA, an institution that educates our best and our brightest to become our future leaders, cannot let this stand.  I call on UCLA’s administration to take more concrete steps to combat racism and discrimination on its campus.

UCLA cannot be an effective place of learning when minority groups on campus feel harassed or intimidated. My time as a UCLA undergraduate was full of opportunities to freely exchange ideas with people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.  In fact, this exchange was vital to my education and still is of tremendous benefit to me now as I serve in the California State Assembly. It saddens me greatly to know that this incident, and others before it, will cause many Jewish students on UCLA’s campus to think twice about offering their opinions or joining campus organizations. As a remedy, Jewish and other minority students must know that the Administration will protect and defend their ability to participate in campus activities free of discrimination and prejudice.   

Federal law also imposes an obligation on UCLA to respond. As a member of Congressman Brad Sherman’s staff, I am proud to have worked with the Congressman to revise the Department of Education’s interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  According to that new guidance, our schools have a legal obligation to prevent discrimination against and harassment of Jewish students.  Opposing a student’s admission to a group solely on the basis of her Jewish identity is anti-Semitic discrimination.  There is no façade of a free speech argument to be made here; under Title VI, this type of discrimination requires corrective action.

As we commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the march in Selma, we are reminded of how far our society has come in combatting discrimination.  But, we continue to receive painful reminders of how much of this fight remains.  We have seen a troubling slew of recent reports of racist comments attributed to such people as Donald Sterling, Paula Dean and the University of Oklahoma students. But in each of these instances, the relevant authorities took swift, concrete action in response.

I acknowledge that Chancellor Block has admirably denounced the anti-Semitic statements of the Council members, but words are not enough.  Acts of racial, ethnic, religious, gender and sexual orientation discrimination demand a serious response to show us all that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Assemblymember Matt Dababneh represents the California 45^th Assembly District that includes the communities of Bell Canyon, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Hidden Hills, Northridge, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, West Hills, Winnetka, and Woodland Hills.