District administrators are facing pressure to enforce academic censorship on Palestinian-solidarity expression. Universities like Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania have been confronted with this challenge. The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) also faced backlash from pro-Israel groups for allowing Palestine solidarity expression. However, leaders in educational institutions have missed the mark by prioritizing individuals accepted by established Jewish organizations, rather than subject matter experts, when consulting on topics like antisemitism [d82ce8cd].
The conflation of criticism of Israel with antisemitism is problematic and makes it difficult to distinguish actual manifestations of antisemitism. Jewish and Israeli scholars have made arguments against this conflation and have endorsed declarations and statements that criticize Israel's policies towards Palestinians. College leaders should differentiate between protecting vulnerable groups and serving the interests of an ethno-nationalist ideology [d82ce8cd].
With an upcoming resolution on academic freedom and free speech, district administrators and faculty should research and understand what constitutes actual antisemitism while supporting legitimate free speech and academic freedom on their campuses. It is important for administrators to consult subject matter experts who can provide nuanced perspectives and guidance on these complex issues [d82ce8cd].