A lecturer at Stanford University has been suspended for allegedly separating Jewish students from the rest of the class and calling them ‘colonizers’ during a seminar on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The incident has sparked outrage and condemnation from the university administration, the Jewish community, and human rights groups.
The lecturer, whose name has not been disclosed, was teaching a course titled ‘Art as Politics in the Middle East’ at Stanford’s Continuing Studies program, which offers courses for adult learners. According to a complaint filed by one of the Jewish students, the lecturer asked the students to introduce themselves and state their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the first session of the course on October 4.
The complaint said that the lecturer then divided the students into two groups based on their responses: those who supported Israel and those who supported Palestine. The lecturer reportedly singled out the Jewish students who expressed support for Israel and called them ‘colonizers’ and ‘occupiers’. The lecturer also accused them of being ‘brainwashed’ by the Israeli propaganda and said that they should not be allowed to speak in the class.
The complaint further said that the lecturer showed a biased and distorted presentation of the history and politics of the Middle East, which portrayed Israel as an illegitimate and oppressive state and Palestine as a victim of colonialism and apartheid. The lecturer also allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks and denied the existence of anti-Semitism in the Arab world.
The Jewish student who filed the complaint said that he felt ‘humiliated, intimidated, and silenced’ by the lecturer’s actions and words. He said that he was afraid to speak up or challenge the lecturer’s views for fear of being further targeted or ostracized. He also said that he felt ‘unsafe and unwelcome’ in the class and decided to drop out after the first session.
The student reported the incident to the Stanford Continuing Studies program director, who apologized to him and said that the lecturer’s behavior was ‘unacceptable’ and ‘in violation of Stanford’s policies’. The director also said that the lecturer had been suspended pending an investigation and that the course had been canceled.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism from various quarters, including Stanford’s president Marc Tessier-Lavigne, who issued a statement condemning the lecturer’s conduct as ‘reprehensible’ and ‘antithetical to our values’. He said that Stanford was committed to fostering a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion, and that any form of discrimination, harassment, or hate speech would not be tolerated.
The incident has also prompted a strong reaction from the Jewish community and human rights groups, who have expressed their concern and solidarity with the affected students. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading organization fighting anti-Semitism and hate, said that it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the incident and called for a thorough investigation and accountability. The ADL also urged Stanford to provide support and resources to the Jewish students and to ensure that they feel safe and respected on campus.
The incident has also raised questions about the academic freedom and responsibility of lecturers, especially when dealing with sensitive and controversial topics such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Some netizens argued that lecturers should be able to express their opinions and perspectives without fear of censorship or reprisal, while other social media users wrote that lecturers should adhere to professional standards and ethical principles.
Read more news like this
Group of 31, Harvard Students Voice Support for Hamas After Brutal Attack on Israel
