US Campus Protests Are Back With a New Academic Year
US Campus Protests Are Back With a New Academic Year
The Facts
The anti-Israel-Gaza war movement that swept US campuses in spring returned to Columbia University in New York Tuesday, the first day of a new academic term.
Students reportedly picketed and protested in solidarity with Palestine, demanding that the university divest from "all forms of settler-colonial violence."
The Spin
Renewed student protests are justified as they continue the long-standing tradition of civic engagement on college campuses. They serve as a vital platform for students to voice concerns about critical global issues, such as the conflict in Gaza. Nonviolent protests challenge students to engage with complex topics, fostering critical thinking and political awareness. By allowing them, universities uphold their mission to develop engaged citizens and contribute to societal good.
Campus protests of the recent past against the Gaza conflict have infringed on students' rights to safety and education, forcing class cancellations and driving some students off campus. They went beyond expressing views or calling for policy changes, and escalated to antisemitic rhetoric and threats that should not be tolerated in any academic setting. University leaders have a duty to protect all students and maintain order on campus. .
