ANN ARBOR, MI — A New York-based legal organization is accusing the University of Michigan and one professor of civil rights violations in a new federal complaint over content in an American culture course it alleges is antisemitic.
But so far, UM said it hasn’t been notified by federal authorities.
The complaint, filed Aug. 29, cites an executive order issued during President Donald Trump’s first term and asks the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to investigate UM for Title VI violations and arrange corrective measures for Jewish students adversely affected.
In a message on Tuesday, Sept. 16, Gerard Filitti, senior counsel for the Lawfare Project, said an activist member of the Jewish community reached out about problems with the course based on information received from a student who wanted to remain anonymous “for fear of retaliation or retribution.”
They allege two reading assignments — one related to a pro-Palestine online discourse and another on the implications of recent Palestinian struggles — frame Israel as “illegitimate and beyond moral comparison.” And the inclusion of “Palestinian Intifada” narratives, particularly, the complaint alleges, can create a “hostile environment for Jewish students.”
“Students are required to consume and discuss materials accusing Israel of genocide and delegitimizing Jewish self-determination,” the complaint reads. “This conflates Jewish identity with oppression and violence, pressuring students to accept these framings or risk academic disadvantage. At least one student dropped the course rather than remain subjected to such political indoctrination.”
In a message Wednesday, Sept. 17, UM spokesperson Jody Berger said the university “has not been made aware of this matter by the OCR” and did not provide further comment.
The readings are included in the syllabus for one section of AMCULT 204, a course entitled “Media Activism,” in the American Culture department within UM’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
There is another section of AMCULT 204 focused on culture, landscapes and power. Both were on the fall 2025 course list.
Umayyah Cable, who’s named in the OCR complaint, is among faculty listed for AMCULT 204 as an assistant professor of American culture and film, television and media at UM.
Multiple attempts to reach them this week were unsuccessful.
Title VI, as referenced in the complaint, was enacted as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Lawfare cites a December 2019 Trump order on combating antisemitism, alleging the American culture course’s content might “manifest as anti-Zionism” and deny Jewish students equal educational access.
Although the executive order cited is nearly six years old, Filitti said the filing comes now because the complainant just came forward.
He said the community member who originally reported the allegations is an activist and campus fellow with the “#EndJewHatred” movement, and the person believes the OCR allows complaints to be filed by non-students “precisely because of the concern that they would be intimidated.”
When asked, Filitti called federal authorities’ existing and ongoing scrutiny of the University of Michigan “an aggravating factor.”
“We saw that UM wasn’t taking action,” he said via email. “… There have been many well-publicized incidents of antisemitism. (Former UM President) Santa Ono’s departure does not seem to have fully turned the page, and prompt action by the government would be meaningful.”
Filitti said the complaint is in its initial stage and cited other curriculum issues targeted by the Office for Civil Rights, adding, “We believe that it is likely to assign an investigator and move forward with the case.”
Complaints typically must be filed within six months of the last act of alleged discrimination. There is no set timeline with the OCR for responding to filings.