For too long, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel spread like cancer on college campuses across the country without much resistance from those in the academic community — until now.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), a national higher education reform group, released a new report on Thursday that exposes how the international political movement to pressure universities to end economic and cultural exchange with the state of Israel is eroding free speech and academic freedom on campus.
The report, entitled “Campus Free Speech, Academic Freedom, and the Problem of the BDS Movement,” examines “the threat to academic freedom, civic discourse, and free speech posed by the BDS movement and other related initiatives that seek to squelch free expression,” while remaining “firmly neutral on such questions as the two-state solution or the settlements.”
It also outlines the steps trustees can take “to protect academic freedom and individual rights, safeguard their institutional neutrality and create a strong campus culture with diverse viewpoints.”
ACTA condemns the BDS movement as overtly anti-Semitic, using the definition provided by the U.S. State Department. The report sheds light on the all-too-familiar instance of Jewish students being accused of bias in the face of BDS, and details several instances of violence and racism that Jewish students have endured on affected campuses:
- At Temple University, individuals at a SJP information table punched and knocked down a Jewish student, calling him a “baby-killer,” “racist,” and “Zionist pig”
- Graffiti at UC−Berkeley stating “Zionists should be sent to the gas chamber”
- Graffiti at San Diego State University with the message, “SDSU Divest so we can get rid of the Jews”
BDS creates a toxic environment for Jewish and pro-Israel students on the same campuses that pride themselves on the principles of tolerance, diversity and mutual respect. The BDS debate fuels Jew-hate and offers a powerful outlet for anti-Semitism. It provides an opportunity for anti-Semitic student groups to “play the victim” and silence their Jewish peers.
Moreover, as the report explains, the entire movement is counterproductive to the academic interests of a university. BDS is depriving students of the incredible exchange opportunities that Israeli universities provide — opportunities that could pave the way for new discoveries in the fields of science, engineering and medicine and ultimately make the world a better place.
Most importantly, the report urges university decision-makers to be proactive in combatting BDS, and reminds them that their institution depends on them to “ensure that robust policies are in place to protect the core values of [their] school.”
University leaders face incredible pressure from a small, but loud group of faculty and students every time BDS becomes an issue, and many cower under the pressure to appease this small minority. ACTA found that, in the 2014–2015 academic year, “at least 19 resolutions or referendums were considered on college campuses,” and “a majority voted in favor of BDS in 12 of these instances.”
Unsurprisingly, hearings are frequently scheduled to prevent Orthodox Jewish students from attending. At the University of Indianapolis, for instance, a BDS resolution was presented to the student senate at two separate meetings, both on Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath). When Jewish students objected, university officials suggested that they participate by video conference. This would of course require electricity, which many observers don’t use on the Sabbath. Portland State University likewise took up the issue the day before Yom Kippur and passed it on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret. BDS supporters have become increasingly savvy at silencing the opposition through these devious tactics.
Too many university leaders have lost the argument and surrendered their campus to a small, anti-Israel minority in the name of political correctness. This report is a booming wake-up call for those campuses who have turned their backs on Israel, and an important tool for university presidents and trustees who still want to stand against the anti-Semitic vitriol on their campus.
