Officials of City University of New York, accused of failing to supervise students who linked the “Million Student March” to criticism of Israel, have responded that the students were exercising “free speech.”
Frank Sanchez, vice chancellor for student affairs, replied to charges against the student groups that appeared in The Algemeiner and elsewhere, said CUNY “cherishes the freedom of students to express their views, consistent with the protections provided by the First Amendment.
“Student freedom in this regard is an essential attribute of a great University where the independent search for truth is held in the highest esteem. With such freedom, comes an abiding responsibility. This responsibility includes respect for the rights of others inside and out of CUNY and for the University’s obligation to maintain a safe environment for all members of its community.”
The statement also said it is improper for students to use “discriminatory language reeking of thinly veiled bigotry, prejudice, anti-Semitism or other behavior inconsistent with our educational mission.”
Students demonstrated at CUNY on Nov. 12 resulting in charges that the University "looked the other way."
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said “It’s a good thing that CUNY has a stated policy that includes anti-Semitism as being inconsistent with its educational mission,” but he criticized the attempt by the student groups to link the Million Student March to a “vile extremist anti-Israel agenda.”
He said the "inflamatory rhetoric that demeans and demonizes Zionism and Zionists and that attempts to link a vile extremist anti-Israel agenda to real-time economic and social issues relating to CUNY and the city of New York demands a more explicit condemnation from CUNY and from the political leadership of the city."
Endorsing the criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestine were NYC Students for Justice in Palestine and chapters with the same name at Hunter College, St. Joseph's College, Brookyn College, John Jay College, CUNY School of Law, Pace University-Pleasantville, NYU Students and Columbia Students.
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Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
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