Graduate suing uni after essay criticising Hamas was failed is given June court date
Danielle Greyman is suing the University of Leeds alleging 'negligence, discrimination and victimisation' after claiming anti-Hamas essay was failed because it did not blame Israel
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A Jewish graduate who is suing Leeds University after her essay about crimes committed by Hamas against the Palestinians was failed has been given a June 26th date for the court case to proceed.
Danielle Greyman is suing the university alleging “negligence, discrimination and victimisation” after claiming her essay was failed by an academic because it did not blame the Jewish state.
Greyman, who said she had never before failed an essay at university, was forced to resit the module two years ago, which she subsequently passed.
But because she had to wait almost a year for the result of her appeal, the student was unable to take up a place on a Master’s course at Glasgow University.
Greyman confirmed to Jewish News that her case would now he heard at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch Count Court on June 26th.
She also tweeted”Very excited that this nightmare is almost over.”
She claimed:” No institution, or academic, should behave this way and I am glad to have the opportunity to hold Leeds accountable.”
In her initial essay, Greyman had referred to Hamas’s use of human shields, saying it was viewed as “a betrayal of the Palestinian people by their government”.
But a moderator’s note by that section said: “This ignores the fact that the Israeli state commits acts of violence.”
Greyman also gave eight examples of antisemitism she claimed were being taught to children in UNRWA schools in Gaza.
These included a teacher who venerated Hitler and others who celebrated knife attacks against Israelis and kidnapping.
The moderator wrote: “So seven teachers constitute a wave of antisemitism? This ‘evidence’ is also weakened by the admission that the transmission and acceptance of these ‘heinous ideas’ cannot be measured.”
Greyman also said she had to withdraw a complaint about the lecturers in order to appeal against the initial grade.
She also stressed she passed with her original essay after the university sent it to a lecturer at another university to mark.
Asked to comment on the forthcoming court hearing a University of Leeds spokesperson said: “The University strenuously denies the accusations of antisemitism and all proceedings will be fully defended. Further comment would be inappropriate given the matter is subject to legal action.”
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