The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that it has filed a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request seeking transparency around UC Berkeley’s decision to provide the unredacted names of approximately 160 students, staff, and faculty to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in a federal antisemitism investigation.
SEE: CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST
Filed on Friday, Nov. 21, the CPRA request asks UC Berkeley to disclose records showing who ordered the release of personal information, what exactly was shared with federal officials, what legal guidance campus leaders relied on, and whether those whose names were turned over were ever notified or given a chance to respond.
CAIR-SFBA says the records are necessary to determine whether the university complied with its obligations under federal and state privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and whether it took its duty seriously to protect students, faculty, and staff from political targeting and retaliation.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Managing Attorney Jeffrey Wang said:
“UC Berkeley’s decision to hand personal information about its own community members to the federal government is a grave breach of trust, particularly in this political climate. This records request seeks answers to basic questions: who made this decision, what information or advice they relied on, and why the names of potentially vulnerable students, faculty, and staff were shared without their prior knowledge or consent.
“Students and faculty should not have to wonder whether their university is quietly feeding their names into federal investigations because of what they believe, what they teach, or what protests they attended. Public institutions in California owe their communities transparency, accountability, and respect for their rights—not secret dossiers.”
CAIR-SFBA is encouraging any UC Berkeley student, staff, or faculty who received notice that their information was shared with federal officials—or who fear they may be under investigation—to contact its office at 480-986-9874 or visit bit.ly/cairsfbareport.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com