Northwestern University is facing criticism over its mandatory anti-discrimination training, which reportedly relies on unverified data from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The training allegedly inflates the number of Islamophobic attacks, giving the false impression that such incidents vastly outpace antisemitic hate crimes.
The nearly 20-minute video training, part of a three-hour online course, is mandatory for all students, faculty, and staff across all departments. It cites official FBI data for antisemitic attacks but uses unverified figures from CAIR for Muslim attacks, without citing the source. This approach suggests that there were five times more incidents against Muslims than Jews.
Michael Teplitsky, president of the Coalition Against Antisemitism at Northwestern, expressed concern, stating that the training “selectively elevates certain perspectives while excluding Israeli students from the conversation—despite these students facing some of the most severe harassment and intimidation on U.S. college campuses.”
The training also addresses “anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian biases” but does not similarly address anti-Israeli or anti-Zionist sentiment. This omission has raised concerns about the university’s commitment to fostering genuine inclusion.
In response to these criticisms, Northwestern University has not yet issued a public statement. The controversy highlights the challenges universities face in creating effective and inclusive anti-discrimination programs that accurately represent all communities.