WHAT LEGAL
ACTION MAY YOU TAKE IF YOU EXPERIENCE
ANTI-SEMITISM ON YOUR
CAMPUS?
If you experience
anti-Semitism on campus at the hands of another student,
staff, or faculty, your federal or state constitutional
rights may be infringed upon. This may entitle you to seek
legal relief through the filing of a private lawsuit. What
legal action you can take will depend on the type of harm
you have suffered and who the perpetrator is.
- If the
perpetrator is another student, then you may be entitled
to relief under tort law.
-
If the perpetrator is staff or faculty, and you attend a
public institution, then you may be entitled to relief under
42 U.S.C. �
1983, commonly referred to as
section 1983. Section 1983
provides for a private right of action against state actors.
Thus, it will be necessary to determine if those who have
retaliated against you are deemed state actors. An attorney
or local legal services provider can help you understand if
section 1983 applies to your case.
To determine
which of these or any other legal options are available to
you, you may wish to speak with a lawyer or a local legal
services provider.
-
Should you
need help retaining a lawyer, you may want to contact
your state�s bar association to determine if they have a
referral service. To find your state�s bar association,
you may wish to visit their Web page, which can usually
be found by performing a search using the name of the
state followed by �Bar Association.� (For example, in
New York, the association is called the �New York State
Bar Association.�)