Universities Must Stop Allowing Use of Official and Branded Social Media, Websites, and Email Lists for Anti-Israel, Anti-Zionist and Antisemitic Activism
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Los Angeles, CA – August 10, 2021) – On August 10, StandWithUs initiated a national campaign by sending a letter to nearly 3000 university leaders encouraging them to put a stop to the now-common practice of academic departments and student governments employing official university websites, social media accounts, and email listservs to promote extremist political causes such as BDS campaigns. The exploitation of official university assets for political activism violates professional codes of conduct and pre-existing ethics policies at most universities—policies that are rarely enforced. StandWithUs called on university presidents and general counsels to issue guidance to all faculty and students reminding them of these policies and announcing penalties for their violation. Such violations were commonplace during the recent fighting between Israel and Hamas in May 2021, when countless academic departments and student governments took over official university social media accounts and email lists and used them to promote hatred of Israel and in many cases, antisemitism.
StandWithUs’ legal letter details the numerous university policies and professional codes of conduct that this behavior violates, and the way that official promotion of extremist anti-Israel and antisemitic content marginalizes students based on their Jewish identity and/or Israeli citizenship.
Based on months of legal research and assistance from lawyers in StandWithUs’ pro bono attorney network, the letter includes suggested language that universities can adopt immediately to curtail further abuse by faculty, academic departments, and student governments as the fall 2021 semester gets underway.
StandWithUs’ letter also clarifies that barring campus political activists—be they students, professors, or administrators—from using official university channels to disseminate inflammatory, partisan, or hateful messages in no way runs afoul of First Amendment rights or the principles of academic freedom.
“StandWithUs receives hundreds of requests from alumni, students, and parents asking if a particular university is a welcoming place for Jewish and Israeli students, where they can study and enjoy campus life without being subjected to constant attacks on their identity – ones that increasingly appear to carry the endorsement of schools themselves. University leaders should make clear to these alumni, students, and parents whether their campuses will implement the crucial guidelines we recommend,” said Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs.
Yael Lerman, Director of the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department stated, "StandWithUs calls on universities to stop the exploitation of official communication vehicles for anti-Israel activism and enforce codes of conduct and ethics policies."
About StandWithUs
StandWithUs (SWU) is an international, non-profit and non-partisan Israel education organization that works to inspire and educate people of all ages about Israel, as well as challenge misinformation and fight against antisemitism.
Through university fellowships, high school internships, middle school curricula, conferences, materials, social media, educational films and missions to Israel, StandWithUs supports people around the world who want to educate their schools and communities about Israel.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization has chapters and programs on 5 continents, including the U.S., Israel, UK, Canada, South Africa and Brazil.
For the last 8 years, SWU has consistently received the highest possible ratings from Charity Navigator (4 stars) and Guidestar (Platinum).
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