Chicago Tribune

Commentary: Universities’ shifting policies toward speech are not only hypocritical but also illegal

Supporters of Palestine gather at Harvard University to show their support for Palestinians in Gaza at a rally in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14, 2023.

The acrimonious discourse around the Oct. 7 atrocities against Israelis and Israel’s response to the Hamas attack is causing havoc in higher education. Not only have universities, thus far, failed to punish student speech celebrating the killing of Israelis, but universities also have sought to render such speech costless for students by setting up anti-doxxing task forces and pleading with prospective employers who have threatened to rescind job offers.

Higher education’s hypocrisy is palpable. In recent years, many universities have aggressively condemned and punished who have expressed doubts about the benefits of diversity, for expressing doubts about affirmative action and of admission based on student social medial posts. Despite well-documented cases of hateful speech and even physical intimidation after Oct. 7, universities .

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