Ousted Bay Area college dept head: DEI “deliberately stokes” antisemitic hate
Image by Marco Verch
According to recently-fired De Anza College DEI head Tabia Lee, we shouldn't be surprised at rising antisemitism on college campuses. During Lee's DEI stint—before she was sacked for not being Woke enough—program leaders constantly pushed anti-Jewish sentiments (comparing them to “oppressor” whites) and shut down her attempts at inclusion. Many are questioning if DEI is less a foundational reality than the Left's "litmus test."
The blatant antisemitism on college campuses has shocked millions of Americans over the past week and a half.
But not me.
I saw antisemitism on a weekly basis in my two years as a faculty “diversity, equity and inclusion” director.
In fact, I can safely say that toxic DEI ideology deliberately stokes hatred toward Israel and the Jewish people.
I was hired to head the DEI department at Silicon Valley’s De Anza College in 2021.
As a black woman, I was the perfect person for the job — on paper.
Yet I made the mistake of trying to create an authentically inclusive learning environment for everyone, including Jewish students.
Turns out, a toxic form of DEI (which is more accurately called “critical social justice”) demanded I do the opposite.
Before I got to campus, Jewish students had endured a litany of hateful and hostile acts.
The school had hosted a Hanukkah party that featured no Hanukkah imagery but plenty of pro-Palestinian protesters.
The student body had passed resolutions on “divesting” from Israel — the first college of its kind to do so — and criticizing Israel’s “attacks against humanity.”
Multiple Jewish students told me the campus was essentially an antisemitic environment.
I tried to right this wrong. First, I hosted Jewish speakers on campus, with the goal of promoting diversity and inclusion by sharing different perspectives.
Critics called me a “dirty Zionist,” and the school refused to promote the events.
I then pushed the administration to issue a strong condemnation of antisemitism.
My request was refused. Some campus leaders and colleagues repeatedly told me I shouldn’t raise issues about Jewish inclusion or antisemitism.
I was told in no uncertain terms that Jews are “white oppressors” and our job as faculty and staff members was to “decenter whiteness.”
This article originally appeared in the New York Post. Read the whole thing here.
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