The New York Times editorial board has accused American university administrators of allowing anti-Israel protests to escalate to the point of endangering students and faculty, and failing to protect free speech.
The New York Times editorial board has issued a scathing rebuke to American university administrators, accusing them of failing to rein in anti-Israel protests that have spiraled out of control. The board argues that university leaders have allowed the protests to become so disruptive and dangerous that they have threatened the academic freedom of students and faculty, and endangered Jewish students and protesters alike.
The editorial board argues that a lack of accountability has fueled the crisis on campuses. University administrators have failed to enforce student codes of conduct and other guidelines that are meant to balance free speech and academic freedom, and to ensure compliance with the law.
As a result, some Jewish students have felt systematically harassed, and protesters have been directly endangered by the disarray and violence that has escalated the protests, due in part to the involvement of police and external agitators.
The editorial board acknowledges that universities have been rightfully criticized for attempts to regulate speech in the past. However, it argues that no student or staff member should be threatened or intimidated on campus, and that school policies should reflect that and be enforced when necessary.
The lack of leadership has also led to the silencing of conservative views on campus. Some scholars report that they are less willing to participate in academia or public discourse due to the increasingly hostile climate for conservative ideas.
The editorial board concludes that while free speech must be protected on campuses, administrators must also enforce clear guardrails on conduct that would restore order.
Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of the free speech advocacy group FIRE, agrees with the editorial's assessment. He states that there has been a genuine crisis for academic freedom and free speech on campus since at least 2017, which has worsened significantly in recent years.
The editorial's publication follows an interview in which New York Times executive editor Joe Kahn stated that he will not allow his paper to become an instrument of the Biden campaign, despite the administration's alignment with traditional establishment parties.
Kahn emphasized that the Times' job is to cover the full range of issues that Americans have, not serve one side. He questioned how the Times could effectively cover issues if it were to become a mouthpiece for one particular political viewpoint.
