Defends Fear of Pro-Palestinian Speakers After USC Voids Valedictorian’s Speech

The University of Southern California (USC) is under attack after it revoked the right of its pro-Palestinian valedictorian to speak at commencement, revealing what critics say is a double standard of free speech and setting in motion what It’s expected to be a controversial year for commencement speeches. .

The school told Asna Tabassum she could not speak at graduation due to “security concerns” after people were upset about her social media accounts, which were accused of anti-Israel bias.

Although First Amendment experts say schools have complete control over who can speak at their ceremonies, they believe USC’s decision sets a bad precedent and merits public outcry.

“USC has raised security concerns, and whenever that happens, universities have to be very transparent and very clear about what those security concerns are, and they need to show their work and demonstrate that they could not sufficiently address those security concerns,” said Graham Piro, program officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

“Otherwise, they send the wrong message to the campus because they say if you express political views, which some find offensive, including the university, the university will take action to shut down an event,” Piro added. “Again, the university has the right to determine who is speaking, but it has to be very careful not to send a frightening message to the campus and, frankly, this is sending a very censorious message to the campus.”

USC is a private school, so it is not subject to the same First Amendment requirements as other institutions, but free speech experts say that even at public colleges, administrators have broad authority over who participates in the graduation ceremony.

USC Chancellor Andrew Guzman said in a statement this week that Tabassum could not speak due to “security concerns” but did not specify what the threats were or why the school failed to adequately secure the event.

“The intensity of feeling, fueled both by social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial security-related risks and disruptions at the outset. We cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence on other campuses,” Guzman said.

“After careful consideration, we have decided that our valedictorian student will not give a speech at graduation. While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety,” he continued, adding, “this decision has nothing to do with freedom of expression. There is no right to free speech to speak at graduation. The question here is how best to maintain the safety and security of the campus, period.”

The Israel-Gaza war will likely overshadow many graduation ceremonies across the country, as debate over the conflict has been vibrant on campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. An important part of this debate has been which phrases or chants should be allowed on campuses due to concerns about anti-Semitism.

On her social media, Tabassum linked to a website that said a “complete abolition” of Israel is necessary and that “Zionism is a racist settler-colonial ideology that defends a Jewish ethnostate built on Palestinian lands.”

The USC Trojans for Israel were one of the campus groups that was outraged when Tabassum was announced as valedictorian.

“Trojans for Israel strongly supports the right to freedom of expression – including informed criticism of the Israeli government. However, rhetoric that denies the Jewish people’s right to self-determination or that calls for the destruction of the only Jewish state in the world must be denounced as anti-Semitic bigotry,” the group said in a statement on Instagram, calling on the university to “reconsider its selection” for class speaker.

But others argue that since the start of the war, freedom of expression has been limited for pro-Palestinian voices.

“In the last six months this has been happening. I would say that for years, but especially in the last six months, it has become very clear that students involved in advocating for a free Palestine or equality for Palestinians are often targeted by their teachers and administration,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Advice. on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — Los Angeles, which has been working with Tabassum since his speech was frozen.

“They are subjected to intimidation, defamation, doxing and threats just for expressing support for the Palestinian people,” he added.

Tabassum released a personal statement saying she was subjected to “a racist hate campaign”, adding that she feels her university “abandoned” her.

“In a meeting with the USC Provost and Senior Associate Vice President for Security and Risk
Warranty on April 14, I asked about the supposed security concerns and was told that the
The University had the resources to take appropriate security measures for my farewell address, but they would not do so, as increased security protections are not what the University wants to ‘present as a picture,’” Tabassum said in your statement.

Ayloush told The Hill that CAIR and Tabassum are studying legal options, but the university also faces other consequences for its actions.

“The damage to USC’s reputation and image as one of America’s most prestigious universities by appearing to capitulate to threats from outside groups purely because of […] defending the human rights of their students” is the biggest punishment they face, Ayloush said.

The school did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment.

Others say the university simply wanted to avoid a politically charged event and came up with a subpar excuse to avoid it.

“It appears the university changed its mind about having her as a speaker and was unwilling to own up to the reality that it chose someone it now regrets choosing and instead set aside security concerns. Frankly, it doesn’t seem credible,” said David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech.

Commencement addresses often address controversial issues — like abortion in 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Wade – and this year will be no different.

FIRE’s Piro expects this year’s speeches to be “full of controversy because of the controversial and divisive issue that is the Israel-Palestine situation right now.”

“And frankly, this event, as far as we know, the first of this type of incident involving graduation this year, did not set a good precedent,” he said.