The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has subpoenaed the University of California system for personal details of employees who signed pro-Jewish letters amid rising antisemitism allegations. This includes professors like Severin Borenstein, who expressed distress over providing personal contact information simply for voicing support that honors both Jewish and Palestinian community safety. These actions have raised concerns about privacy and possible implications of government overreach, especially since the letters aimed to foster safety and support amidst escalating tensions following the Israel-Hamas conflict.
I was certainly unsettled by the fact that the EEOC was asking for my personal email and personal phone number due to my signing a letter that in no way could be interpreted as supporting violence or undermining the federal government, Borenstein told KQED.
The request applies to all signatories of two open letters. The one Borenstein signed, along with more than 360 professors and lecturers in October 2023, calls for support for Jewish staff and students and also wishes safety for students and faculty with Palestinian family and ties in Gaza.
This notice is to inform you that, because your signature appears on one of these letters, the EEOC is conducting an investigation that requires the release of personal information from the university.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has launched a probe into allegations of antisemitism at the University of California, ordering the university to submit employee information.
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