Judge dismisses harassment lawsuit against CUNY over anti-Israel campus speech
A federal judge in New York threw out a discrimination and harassment suit filed by a BMCC professor, ruling that the contested speech is protected by the First Amendment.
In Goldstein v. CUNY, a Jewish Israeli professor at Borough of Manhattan Community College sued the university system for discrimination and harassment stemming from campus events about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Judge Jeannette Vargas held that the plaintiff's allegations relied primarily on political speech, which the Supreme Court safeguards against regulation based on its content. The court determined that the university's sponsorship of a poster exhibit, a film screening, and a public discussion series were intended to contribute to an ongoing debate and were not directed at any individual.
A petition issued by the Social Justice and Equity Center, although it referenced the professor, was likewise deemed protected commentary. Because none of the asserted conduct amounted to personal threats or physical intimidation, the plaintiff's claims under federal and state anti-discrimination statutes were dismissed.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies limits on harassment claims when speech involves political issues on college campuses.
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