On February 10, a University of California, Los Angeles, student stood before her student council in the hope of being accepted to its judicial board. Rachel Beyda, a second-year economics major, had been unanimously approved by a review committee before she presented herself to the board. With an impressive academic record, leadership experience and several legal internships, Beyda’s confirmation seemed like a no-brainer.
But when board members began their line of questioning, a discussion about Beyda’s qualifications and experience quickly became a discussion about her Jewish background.
“Given that you are a Jewish student and very active in the Jewish community,” asked board member and international student Fabienne Roth, “how do you see yourself being able to maintain an unbiased view?”
This startling display of anti-Semitism continued after Beyda left the room. Several board members continued voicing their concerns about Beyda’s Jewish affiliation and what they perceived as a “conflict of interest” — despite the fact that they all agreed she was qualified for the position.
It is deeply disturbing that a student’s Jewish identity and involvement in Jewish organizations was used to question her ability to fulfill the responsibilities of a position. It’s especially shocking that four council members voted to deny Beyda her well-deserved spot, only changing their minds after a faculty advisor stepped in and informed them that Beyda’s Jewish involvement does not constitute a conflict of interest.
In a student council comprised of people from various backgrounds involved with a multitude of other organizations, how is it legitimate to single out a Jewish student for potential biases? How is it acceptable for members of a judicial board who pride themselves on being impartial to dismiss a qualified candidate because of her identity? Not only were their actions morally repugnant, they were also illegal.
Of the four students who voted against Beyda — Fabienne Roth, Manjot Singh, Negeen Sadeghi-Movahed and Sofia Moreno Haq — three come from minority backgrounds. Surely they have had their own painful experiences of discrimination, and it’s disappointing that they would blatantly inflict prejudice on one of their peers.
Sadly, UCLA can add itself to the list of college campuses that experience anti-Semitic events.
Last year, Jewish students at several well-known universities found themselves the target sof hate. At Emory University in October and at the University of Oregon in July, Jewish fraternity houses were vandalized with swastikas. An Ohio University student found his mezuzah, a religious symbol placed on the doors of Jewish homes, torn from his door twice. In April at the University of Central Florida, a Jewish student walked into her apartment to find swastikas carved into the walls.
These events should not be brushed off and forgotten. In an interview, UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block optimistically described the incident as a “teaching moment,” because the students “all learned about what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate.”
Must students appointed to a judicial board discriminate against someone before realizing it is “not appropriate”?
Unsurprisingly, after being criticized in UCLA’s student newspaper, the four board members issued a written apology to the university and its Jewish community. Rather than admit the personal prejudice of their actions, they professed their sincerest apologies for “any words used during this meeting” that didn’t represent their intentions. If these students truly believe that the only wrong committed was a poor choice of words, all of them deserve to lose their positions. Words matter, but so do the beliefs behind them.
Making preconceived notions about anyone based on their race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexuality is abhorrent and should never be tolerated. College campuses, especially, should strive to be a place where students of all cultures, backgrounds and beliefs feel welcome and included.
Clearly, there’s more work to be done.
Moriah Camenker is a UF public relations senior. Her column appears on Tuesdays.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 3/10/2015]
