House GOP, Dems unite to name for dismissal of college presidents over antisemitism on campus
House lawmakers are demanding that three elite universities instantly boot their presidents for being “evasive and dismissive” when pushed to sentence antisemitism and calls on campus for the genocide of Jews.
The push for the dismissal of Harvard President Claudine Gay, Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill follows a fiery House listening to the place the campus leaders struggled to sentence an growing anti-Jewish surroundings on campuses.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, New York Republican, and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Florida Democrat, wrote in a letter to the boards of the three universities that the explosion of antisemitism on their campuses was a “failure of university leadership.”
“Given this moment of crisis, we demand that your boards immediately remove each of these presidents from their positions and that you provide an actionable plan to ensure that Jewish and Israeli students, teachers, and faculty are safe on your campuses,” the lawmakers wrote.
They mentioned that something lower than eradicating the presidents could be seen as an endorsement of their testimony to the House panel, and it will be “an act of complicity in their antisemitic posture.”
During the listening to earlier than the Education and Workforce Committee, Mrs. Stefanik grilled the college presidents over whether or not “calling for the genocide of Jews” constituted bullying or harassment.
None of the presidents outright answered “yes.” Instead, they mentioned it trusted the context or if motion was taken. Mrs. Stefanik and Mr. Moskowitz, together with 72 members of Congress from each events, wrote that there was “no context” through which advocating for the genocide of Jews was acceptable speech.
“Their failure to unequivocally condemn calls for the systematic murder of Jews is deeply alarming. It stands in stark contrast to the principles we expect leaders of top academic institutions to uphold,” the lawmakers mentioned. “It is hard to imagine any Jewish or Israeli student, faculty, or staff feeling safe when presidents of your member institutions could not say that calls for the genocide of Jews would have clear consequences on your campus.”
The presidents have tried to stroll again or soften their testimony for the reason that listening to on Tuesday. Ms. Gay apologized in Harvard’s pupil newspaper the Crimson, saying that “words matter.”
“When words amplify distress and pain, I don’t know how you could feel anything but regret,” Ms. Gay mentioned.
Meanwhile, main UPenn donors are utilizing the ability of their checkbooks to push for Ms. Magill’s resignation. The university’s distinguished enterprise faculty board, the Wharton Board of Advisors, has additionally known as for her departure from the place.
Ms. Magill acquired heavy backlash for her response to Mrs. Stefanik’s query, saying that “if the speech becomes conduct, then it becomes harassment.”
“The world is watching,” the lawmakers mentioned. “You can stand with your Jewish students and faculty, or you can choose the side of dangerous antisemitism.”
