OAN Staff James Meyers
3:17 PM – Friday, August 9, 2024
Three Columbia University deans have resigned after it was revealed they exchanged “anti-Semitic” text messages known as “Textgate,” while Jewish speakers raised concerns about prejudice on campus with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
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Susan Chang-Kim, Cristen Kromm and Matthew Patashnick had been suspended but not fired after the messages were leaked to The Washington Free Beacon following a panel discussion about Jewish life on May 31st.
Additionally, a fourth official, Josef Sorett, remained in his position after publicly apologizing for his actions, while the other three did not issue a public apology.
The texts were photographed by someone sitting behind one of the deans during the panel discussion on May 31st, and then first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, before being publicly released by a congressional committee investigating allegations of anti-Semitism at Columbia.
Susan Chang-Kim, formerly the vice dean and chief administrative officer of the undergraduate school Columbia College, brushed off the Jewish students’ complaints, texting that it “comes from such a place of privilege… hard to hear the woe is me.”
Another dean sent vomit emojis after a college newspaper opinion piece written by a local rabbi was mentioned.
Nemat Shafik, the university president, placed the trio on indefinite leave in June pending an investigation.
“The incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancient anti-Semitic tropes,” Shafik said in an open letter last month.
“Whether intended as such or not, these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our university’s values and the standards we must uphold in our community.”
Chang-Kim was the university’s vice-dean and chief administrative officer, Kromm, the dean of undergraduate student life and Patashnick, the associate dean for student and family support.
The university has faced heavy scrutiny ever since the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war that led to the outbreak of pro-Palestinian protests causing Jewish students to complain of the protests stating it’s creating a hostile environment on campus.
Meanwhile, Columbia is currently among many schools now facing congressional investigations over their handling of the complaints.
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