Staff Reports
A troubling episode at Pasadena City College shows how anti‑Semitism and ideological bias are not just a problem at big-name universities—they reach into small community colleges, too. Jewish students say they were mistreated in class, a local rabbi says he was shouted down by a dean when he tried to get answers, and the campus appears to host an active Students for Justice in Palestine chapter while lacking basic Jewish student support like a Hillel. This is not a one-off. It’s a pattern that should alarm parents, taxpayers, and local leaders.
What happened at Pasadena City College?
Jewish students at Pasadena City College reported potential anti‑Semitic treatment in a classroom. According to an outside community leader who tried to help, initial outreach to the faculty member drew no response. When the rabbi escalated the complaint and called Dean Matthew Barboza, the dean allegedly replied, “If it is about anti‑Semitism, I would not call you back either!” and hung up. The rabbi then contacted Dr. Laura Ramirez, the college’s assistant superintendent/vice president, who reportedly declined to take meaningful action or facilitate a dialogue. These are serious allegations that deserve a prompt and transparent investigation by PCC administrators and local oversight bodies.
Why small colleges matter in the culture fight
Big universities get headlines, but community colleges educate millions of students and shape values just the same. The absence of a Hillel or formal Jewish student support at PCC, paired with the official recognition of a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, sends a message about campus priorities. Critics of SJP point to its aggressive anti‑Israel activism and warn it can create an unsafe climate for Jewish students. Whether you call the problem political bias, cultural Marxism, or simply poor leadership, the result is the same: students who should be learning are being asked to navigate hostile, politicized environments instead.
What should be done—locally and nationally
First, Pasadena City College should immediately investigate these allegations, publish findings, and correct any hostile conduct. Local trustees and state higher‑education officials must stop treating campus issues as optional PR problems and start enforcing standards for equal treatment. The Department of Justice and the Office for Civil Rights already intervene in high‑profile cases; there’s no harm in local officials doing the same work locally before a situation gets worse. Parents and taxpayers should ask candidates and school boards tough questions about campus clubs, whether a school hosts Hillel or similar groups, and how it handles complaints of discrimination.
Closing thoughts: don’t outsource moral authority to campus radicals
College should be about learning, not indoctrination. When a dean reportedly tells a community leader he wouldn’t return a call about anti‑Semitism, it’s a red flag that an institution’s culture has gone off the rails. Small colleges are not immune to the trends we see at elite campuses—and that makes local oversight even more important. If we care about the next generation, we can’t shrug and hope someone in Washington will fix it. Demand accountability, support students who are targeted, and don’t let radical campus politics steal another classroom.
