Teachers and Unions Fight Back as UC Campuses Prepare to Fuel Trump's Witch Hunt

"Outrage flared last week about the University of California's capitulation to this era's resurgent McCarthyism, as news spread that the university has provided the names of at least 160 students, faculty members, and staff at the University of California, Berkeley, to federal officials who - under the guise of investigating "alleged antisemitic incidents" - are scrutinizing people who have expressed opposition to Israel's genocide in Gaza."

"Judith Butler, a UC Berkeley philosophy professor and Jewish critic of the Israeli government, said in a recent interview with Democracy Now!, "There is no good evidence that antisemitism is rampant on campus," adding, "To take a position against genocide is certainly not an antisemitic thing to do. Most Jews are against genocide, and we were taught to be against genocide, and we were taught, as well, that 'never again' is a slogan that should apply to all people.""

"In December 2024, after the election of Donald Trump but under the auspices of the outgoing Biden administration, the University of California promised to also hand over names of people who either reported or were the subject of allegations of discrimination at five other University of California campuses - UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Davis, and UC Santa Cruz."

Outrage flared over the University of California providing names of at least 160 students, faculty, and staff at UC Berkeley to federal officials investigating alleged antisemitic incidents connected to opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza. Critics described the move as capitulation to a resurgent McCarthyism. Judith Butler, a UC Berkeley philosophy professor and Jewish critic of the Israeli government, stated there is no good evidence that antisemitism is rampant on campus and that opposing genocide is not antisemitic. Most of those whose names were reported had not been notified of allegations against them. A voluntary December 2024 agreement with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights requires similar disclosures at five other UC campuses by September 30, 2025.

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