In response to the escalating antisemitism at Texas universities, Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) has issued an executive order aimed at mitigating antisemitism within higher education institutions. The measure is designed to foster a safe learning environment for Jewish students and all Texans across the state's universities.
"Antisemitism is never acceptable in Texas, and we will do everything we can to fight it," stated Abbott. "The state of Texas stands with Israel and the Jewish community, and we must escalate our efforts to protect against antisemitism at Texas colleges and universities and across our state. Across the country, acts of antisemitism have grown in number, size, and danger to the Jewish community since Hamas' deadly attack on Oct. 7. Texas took immediate action to protect Jewish schools, synagogues, and other key locations. Many Texas colleges and universities also acted quickly to condemn antisemitism, but some radical organizations on our campuses engaged in acts that have no place in Texas. Now, we must work to ensure that our college campuses are safe spaces for members of the Jewish community."
According to the National Education Association (NEA), since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 there have been 843 documented incidents of antisemitism on university grounds nationwide. A few schools offer classes dedicated to studying antisemitism; however, these are typically initiated by Jewish studies departments which account for approximately 90 programs across the country.
The executive order issued by Abbott calls upon Texas schools to scrutinize their free speech policies and penalize those propagating antisemitic rhetoric within school premises, as per a news release. Schools are also required to incorporate definitions of antisemitism into their free speech initiatives. Prior to this order, Abbott had allocated over $4 million in grant funding towards security enhancements for 31 Jewish organizations.