Judge to Decide if Penn Must Disclose Jewish Employee Records in Antisemitism Probe

The federal government is demanding detailed information about Jewish groups at the Ivy League university.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A federal judge is weighing whether the U.S. government can force the University of Pennsylvania to hand over detailed employee information, including home addresses and affiliations with Jewish organizations, as part of an investigation into alleged antisemitism at the school. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has cited several incidents of antisemitic behavior, including shouted obscenities, vandalism, and hateful graffiti. Penn has cooperated with the probe but opposes the EEOC's "extraordinary and unconstitutional demand" to create lists of Jewish faculty and staff.

Why it matters

The case raises concerns about privacy, safety, and civil liberties, as the EEOC seeks to identify Jewish employees who may have witnessed or experienced a hostile environment. The dispute highlights the challenges of investigating allegations of systemic discrimination while respecting individual rights.

The details

The EEOC launched the investigation in 2023, citing a pattern of antisemitic behavior at Penn, including an incident where someone shouted antisemitic obscenities and destroyed property at a Jewish student life center, a Nazi swastika being painted on an academic building, and hateful graffiti left outside a fraternity. The agency says it needs to identify Jewish faculty and staff who may have information about the alleged hostile environment.

  • The EEOC accused Penn of a pattern of antisemitic behavior in a court document filed in December 2023.
  • The EEOC issued an administrative subpoena against Penn's Board of Trustees in November 2025 as part of the investigation.
  • The hearing before U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

The players

University of Pennsylvania

The Ivy League university in Philadelphia that is the subject of the EEOC's investigation into alleged antisemitism.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The federal agency conducting the investigation into claims that Penn has subjected its Jewish faculty and employees to an illegal hostile work environment.

U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert

The federal judge who is weighing whether to enforce the EEOC's subpoena demanding detailed information about Penn's Jewish employees and organizations.

Vic Walczak

An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing five groups, some specifically Jewish-related and others consisting of Penn faculty, who are concerned about the EEOC's demand for confidential employee information.

Debra Lawrence

The EEOC's regional attorney who is involved in the investigation.

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What they’re saying

“We're on the same side as Penn — we're not opposing an investigation, what we're opposing is the court forcing Penn to create, essentially, lists of participants in Jewish organizations and turning over confidential information, including home addresses.”

— Vic Walczak, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer (kob.com)

“The workplace is replete with antisemitism, and identification of those who have witnessed and/or been subjected to the environment is essential for determining whether the work environment was both objectively and subjectively hostile.”

— Debra Lawrence, EEOC regional attorney (kob.com)

What’s next

Judge Pappert will decide whether to enforce the EEOC's subpoena demanding detailed information about Penn's Jewish employees and organizations.

The takeaway

This case highlights the delicate balance between investigating allegations of systemic discrimination and protecting individual privacy and civil liberties. The outcome could set an important precedent for how federal agencies conduct such probes in the future.