Coalition Pushes for Higher Education Reform 
February 2018
The first month of 2018 saw much progress in the struggle against anti-Semitism. The Brandeis Center, a leader of the reform coalition advocating for changes in Title VI of the Higher Education Opportunities Act, joined an impressive group of national organizations in urging the U.S. Senate HELP  committee to reform Middle East Studies . In Massachusetts, LDB undertook new efforts on behalf of teachers who have been unfairly punished for speaking out against anti-Semitism. The Brandeis Center will continue to shape and inspire our nation's young legal scholars at our exciting upcoming national conference. This brief also highlights the stirring support of LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus' nomination to be the next Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Civil Rights by Jeffrey Robbins, as well as that of over 60 organizations and numerous prominent individuals. These topics and more are covered in this edition of the Brandeis Brief. 

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Articles 
Advocacy Groups: Federally-Funded Mideast Studies Centers Being Misused for Anti-Israel 'Indoctrination'
Shiri Moshe, The Algemeiner

Fourteen prominent Jewish and Advocacy groups urged a key Senate committee to reform the Higher Education Act (HEA), which they claim is being "misused to promote biased, one-sided and anti-Israel programming in our nation's Middle East studies centers." The Brandeis Center, which has led the charge in the reform effort, co-authored the letter sent to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advocating for wholesale change in the way Middle East studies centers are funded.

Brandeis Center Backs Suspended Swastika-Hating Stoughton Teacher
Daniel Libon, Stoughton Patch
 
The Brandeis Center is again criticizing Stoughton school officials for their handling of an incident involving a student drawing a swastika. After being asked to remove the swastika, the perpetrator responded with a comment about burning the swastika, "the way they burned the Jews." LDB has called on the school district to rescind their disciplinary actions against Stoughton High School teacher Hillary Moll, who was suspended without pay following her  rescission of the student's college recommendation letter .

The Brandeis Center applauds South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster for calling on the South Carolina Senate to immediately pass H.3643, and reiterating his support for this important piece of legislation, which aims to combat anti-Semitism in South Carolina. While the South Carolina senate did not meet Governor McMaster's deadline for passage of this bill, efforts to achieve a major legislative victory continue in that state.

Why Arizona's Anti-BDS Legislation Does Not Infringe First Amendment Rights
Roee Talmor, Brandeis Blog
Anti-BDS legislation has gained traction in both Congress and state legislatures over recent years, and, thus far, nearly half of U.S. states have passed anti-BDS legislation. However, some have suggested that these bills conflict the First Amendment's right to free speech, with the ACLU going so far as to file a lawsuit challenging Arizona's anti-boycott legislation on First Amendment grounds. While the free speech clause of the First Amendment is indeed the cornerstone of a thriving democracy, the ACLU's legal argument is deeply flawed and rests on a fundamentally erroneous characterization of Arizona's statute. 

LDB Announces Fifth Annual Law Student Leadership Conference
Louis D. Brandeis Center
 
The Brandeis Center has announced its fifth annual National Law Student Leadership Conference, taking place in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, February 25 - Monday, February 26, 2018. The conference will draw law student leaders together to exchange lessons on advancing civil and human rights. 

Irwin Cotler To Deliver Keynote Address At LDB National Conference
Edward Kunz, Brandeis Blog
The Brandeis Center is thrilled to announce Irwin Cotler as the Keynote Speaker for its upcoming Fifth Annual Law Student Leadership Conference. Cotler is Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, longtime Parliamentarian, and recent Founder and International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. 

Representative Alan D. Clemmons To Speak At LDB Conference
Edward Kunz, Brandeis Blog
 
The Brandeis Center is proud to announce that Representative Alan D. Clemmons will be speaking at LDB's upcoming Fifth Annual Law Student Leadership Conference. Clemmons is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism and the Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel. 

Robbins: Dems' Vote Against Marcus Worrisome
Jeff Robins, Boston Herald
At last month's Senate hearing on the nomination of civil rights lawyer Kenneth L. Marcus to be the Education Department's Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Marcus' nomination only cleared the Senate's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee by a 12-11 vote because of Republicans' unanimous support. For Democrats who find Donald Trump distasteful but worry that their party has lost its bearings, the Democrats' vote against Marcus is more reason to worry. 

Dozens of Advocacy Groups Endorse Jewish Nominee for Top Education Department Civil Rights Post
Shiri Moshe, The Algemeiner
 
Dozens of advocacy groups called for the confirmation of Kenneth Marcus--a leading figure in efforts to combat campus anti-Semitism--to a prominent civil rights post at the U.S. Department of Education. Marcus' record was strongly endorsed by 60 "Jewish, Christian, education and civil rights" organizations in a letter sent to members of the Senate HELP Committee. 

In This Issue:
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The Louis D. Brandeis Center is a nonprofit organization supported by individuals, groups and foundations that share our concern about Jewish college students.  Contributions are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  To support our efforts to combat campus anti-Semitism, please contact us at info@brandeiscenter.com.
12-11-29 Standing KLM photo
Kenneth L. Marcus

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The Louis D. Brandeis Center stands ready if we can help you to combat anti-Semitism in higher education.  Please contact us if you are a student or professor who needs our help.  We are also available to provide technical assistance to university administrators who are interested in achieving legal compliance and best practices for eliminating campus anti-Semitism.
 
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