Thirteen federal judges announced on Monday that they will no longer hire graduates from Columbia University’s law school. This decision comes as a response to what they describe as the “virulent spread of antisemitism” on Columbia’s campus.
In a letter addressed to Columbia President Minouche Shafik, the judges criticized the university for becoming “an incubator of bigotry” amidst ongoing anti-Israeli protests. They highlighted concerns about the erosion of free speech and the university’s handling of student misconduct.
The judges emphasized that while freedom of speech protects protest, it does not extend to acts of violence, threats, or trespassing. They expressed a loss of confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education and called for significant changes in its faculty and administration.
This decision to boycott Columbia graduates follows the university’s cancellation of its traditional school-wide graduation ceremony due to concerns about potential unrest.
The letter was signed by federal appellate Judges James Ho and Elizabeth Branch, who had previously led boycotts of Yale and Stanford University law schools.
