Vanderbilt University is investigating formal complaints that were submitted after a Jewish candidate in recent student government elections faced cyberbullying and anti-Semitism.
Student Jordan Gould, who is at the school on a full scholarship, received a barrage of hateful messages, including on that said “Hitler got something right!” after running for student government president. He also received a message stating, “White men are the absolute worst!”
After he received a message that said, “He should get dragged for it!” he began to fear for his safety.
Gould wrote an op-ed for Medium last week describing his ordeal titled “When the social justice mob came for me.” He wrote that he was called a “white supremacist” and a “racist confederate” by other students during his campaign for student president.
His posters were vandalized, with his head ripped off a photo of his body.
Vanderbilt spokesperson Damon Maida told The College Fix by email on Friday that the Equal Opportunity and Access office received “several formal complaints” and is currently investigating.
Maida said that student organizations are led by students and are autonomous from the university’s administration.
“There were a number of troubling developments related to the most recent student government election and we are working with our students to address these,” he said.
“[W]e expect all members of these organizations, including student government candidates and representatives, to adhere to high standards of conduct aligned with our commitment to a safe, welcoming and inclusive campus for everyone,” Maida added.
He said that appropriate action will depend on the investigation’s outcome.
Gould said in the op-ed that what transpired made him feel hopeless.
“It was a level of fear I couldn’t even process. Everything I had worked for was destroyed, and so was my reputation. I felt like I could never come back from this,” Gould wrote.
He eventually withdrew his candidacy for student government president.