Free Speech, Anti-Semitism & Campus Climate: forum at UC Santa Cruz

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University of California Committee on Academic Freedom Rejects Efforts to Suppress Palestinian Advocacy

The Chair of the University of California's Committee on Academic Freedom  (UCAF) wrote to the University of California's Academic Senate urging the University to reject concerted efforts to pressure the University to enact restrictions on the free speech rights of campus organizations and individuals advocating for the interests of Palestinians.   Read the full letter hear. The letter notes that "the majority of UCAF (there was one dissenting vote) urges that the [Academic] Senate take a strong position rejecting any efforts (whether originating outside the University or inside it) that would limit free expression by supporters of either the Israeli people or the Palestinian people. Vigorous debate is a core function of the great university, and must be unfettered.  On controversial issues like Middle Eastern politics, many people have strongly held views which are deeply offensive and upsetting to some. Be that as it may, no one has a right to a campus free from expression they find offensive or even insulting. What people on our campuses do have, on the other hand, is the right to present counter-arguments and analyses of their own. "

In the system of shared governance at the University of California, UCAF and the Academic Senate play important roles to determine policy.

Rights Groups Call on DOE to Address Use of Title VI to Silence Students Advocating for Palestinian Rights

The Center for Constitutional Rights and seven other rights organizations today called on the Department of Education to address the use of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by Israel-aligned groups to suppress student speech advocating for Palestinian rights and critical of Israeli policies. See CCR's Press Release and the letters here.

"Shhh Don't Talk About Palestine" Presentation at UC Davis Law School

QuickTime

Join us April 24rd, 2013 at UC Davis Law School for a discussion on the concerted campaign to suppress students' First Amendment rights to criticize Israeli state policy. From Brooklyn College, to University of South Florida, from UC San Diego to UC Davis, students are facing legal threats and intimidation which mislabel their advocacy for Palestinian human rights as anti-Semitic. This intimidation chills speech on the Palestine-Israel question - one of the most important political debates of our time, and robs university students of robust intellectual debate essential in a democratic society. It also poses serious dangers to pro-Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students who are already at risk in an Islamophobic US political climate.

Brooklyn College Students for Justice in Palestine Vindicated After 2-Month CUNY Investigation into BDS Event

After a two-month investigation, the City University of New York (CUNY) General Counsel’s office issued a report late Friday vindicating student organizers of a February 7th event at Brooklyn College (BC) from accusations of anti-Semitic discrimination. Read more here.

Rights Groups Express Concern to Claremont Colleges After Israeli Professor Calls Palestinian Student a "Cockroach"

The Center for Constitutional Rights and other civil rights groups have written to the Presidents of the Claremont Colleges in Southern California expressing alarm after a professor on campus cursed at a Palestinian student and called him a cockroach. The incident occurred during the Claremont Colleges Students for Justice in Palestine's mock Israeli checkpoint action. The Colleges' responses have suggested that there is more interest in blaming the students for alleged violations of the campus demonstrations policy rather than remedying the harms of racial bias and repression of speech. The letter emphasizes the Colleges obligation to protect students who advocate for Palestinian rights from intimidation and racial bias. See the full letter here. 

How Federal Discrimination Law is Used to Shut Down Criticism of Israel on Campus

Watch this break down of how civil rights law is being distorted to silence criticism of Israel. Michael Ratner, President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights provides an overview of the misuse of Title VI.