MLFA’s Civil Litigation attorneys in the Legal Division filed a Title VI complaint today against Rice University on behalf of Muslim and Jewish students attempting to vote on a student resolution on divesting from companies complicit in Israel’s war against Gaza.
After Rice’s Student Association scheduled a vote on whether to adopt a student resolution calling for Rice’s divestment from Israel, Rice made the unprecedented move of halting all discussion of the resolution after receiving just one unsupported student complaint. Rice officials then cited inapplicable laws to justify their position and told students to fear possible litigation for acting in support of Palestine. To date, Rice has yet to complete its investigation or allow the Student Association to vote on its resolution.
Rice University must comply with its obligations under federal law to provide all students with a school environment free of discrimination based on their shared ancestry. We urge the Department of Education to promptly investigate Rice University’s discriminatory treatment of its Muslim and Jewish students advocating for Palestine.
