Harvard University’s president and different faculty leaders have been placed on blast by Congress members at a Tuesday listening to after antisemitism has spiked on faculty campuses within the wake of the Hamas terrorist assaults in Israel.
The leaders of Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania testified in entrance of Congress following repeated stories of Jewish and Israeli college students being threatened and assaulted on campuses because the Oct. 7 terror assaults.
Harvard has been on the epicenter of those campus clashes, with dozens of scholar teams blaming Israel for the Hamas terrorist assaults after which continued pro-Palestinian protests with college students chanting antisemitic phrases. Classes have been not too long ago disrupted by such protests, and the Cambridge campus is now going through a federal civil rights investigation for antisemitism.
“I have sought to confront hate while preserving free expression,” Harvard President Claudine Gay testified on Tuesday. “This is difficult work, and I know that I have not always gotten it right.”
During the House Committee on Education and the Workforce listening to, protest movies from Harvard have been proven of scholars chanting, “Globalize the intifida” and “Long live the intifida.”
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik grilled Gay over these phrases heard on Harvard’s campus, noting it’s a name for violent armed resistance towards the state of Israel, together with violence towards civilians and the genocide of Jews.
“I’ve heard that thoughtless, reckless and hateful language on our campus. Yes,” Gay responded to the New York congresswoman.
“I will say again, that type of hateful speech is personally abhorrent to me,” the Harvard president added.
Stefanik continued to ask Gay whether or not that kind of hateful speech is opposite to Harvard’s code of conduct or whether or not it’s allowed at Harvard.
“It is at odds with the values of Harvard… We embrace a commitment to free expression, even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful,” Gay responded. “It’s when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying, harassment and intimidation.”
Stefanik questioned whether or not that hateful speech crosses that barrier.
“Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel?” Stefanik requested.
Gay continued to repeat that the campus protects free speech, even of views which are offensive and hateful.
“What actions have been taken against students who are harassing and calling for the genocide of Jews on Harvard campus?” the congresswoman requested.
“Given students’ rights to privacy and our obligations under FERPA, I will not say more about any specific cases other than to reiterate that processes are ongoing,” Gay responded.
Stefanik mentioned a number of instances that Gay ought to resign instantly.
“Your testimony today, not being able to answer with moral clarity, speaks volumes,” Stefanik mentioned.
At at the moment’s listening to, Harvard’s President shamefully refused to say whether or not the calling for the mass violence and genocide of the Jewish individuals is taken into account harassment or bullying in response to Harvard’s personal code of conduct.
Claudine Gay ought to resign instantly. pic.twitter.com/gjzmTHUcec
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) December 5, 2023
MIT President Sally Kornbluth on the listening to was additionally requested whether or not calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes bullying and harassment towards Jewish college students.
“If targeted at individuals, not making public statements,” the MIT president responded to Stefanik, noting that she has heard intifida chants on campus, which “can be antisemitic depending on the context when calling for the elimination of the Jewish people.”
Stefanik requested if that may violate MIT’s code of conduct.
“That would be investigated as harassment if pervasive and severe,” the MIT president responded.
Stefanik once more requested Gay whether or not calling for the genocide of Jews violated Harvard’s guidelines for bullying and harassment.
“It can be, depending on the context,” the Harvard president responded.
“What’s the context?” Stefanik requested.
“Targeted at an individual,” Gay responded.
“It’s targeted at Jewish students, Jewish individuals,” the congresswoman responded. “Do you understand your testimony is dehumanizing them? Do you understand that dehumanization is part of antisemitism?”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”