The University of Pennsylvania has been accused of hypocrisy for trying to oust a controversial law professor who said “America would be better with fewer Asians” while claiming that freedom of speech means anti-Semitic students cannot be punished.
The beleaguered Ivy League college has spent two years trying to discipline professor Amy Wax over her comments and others, including arguing that some ethnicities have lower IQs than others.
University leaders alleged that her behavior undermines Penn’s commitment to attracting a “diverse student population to an inclusive educational environment” and “harms” students.
But amid a backlash at last month’s Palestine Writes festival, which invited speakers who have made anti-Semitic comments, Penn reaffirmed his commitment to upholding free speech.
Among those who performed was Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, who previously performed in an outfit closely resembling a Nazi uniform and once suggested “bombarding” the audience with confetti in the shapes of swastikas, Stars of David and dollar signs.
UPenn has been criticized for trying to fire controversial professor Amy Wax for her inflammatory comments while clinging to freedom of speech, meaning it cannot discipline anti-Semitic students
President Liz Magill wrote a memo to trustees reminding them that the university “does not regulate the content of speech or symbolic conduct” in the wake of the backlash against the Palestine Writes event
Although Penn released a statement condemning anti-Semitism prior to the event, it still faced furious criticism that it tried to deflect by hiding behind its commitment to freedom of expression.
The Palestine Writes festival – held on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – featured a lineup of well-known anti-Semites. It attracted extra attention after the Hamas attacks on Israel two weeks later.
A memo to the university’s administration about the Palestine Writes event claimed that “Penn does not regulate the content of speech or symbolic behavior.” the Washington Free beacon reports.
Recipients were reminded that faculty may invite “hateful” figures to campus as long as there is “no imminent threat of harm.”
The note, written by Frresident Liz Magill and chairman of trustees Robert Bok, also rejected the term “hate speech” as too difficult to define and noted that the college had abolished its anti-hate speech policy after a dispute over political correctness in 1994.
That was despite the school using the term “hate speech” in its complaint against Wax.
Penn bosses have tried to remove the professor after her comments and concerns that she assigned work linked to racist thinker Enoch Powell and invited Jared Taylor, a proponent of white identity politics, to speak in her class.
She is now trying to use the university’s memo and its position on freedom of speech to argue that she should be afforded the same protection.
In a letter to university officials, Wax’s attorneys said, “The (memo) makes clear that even if Jews are ‘harmed’ by the speech of radical left Palestinian supporters appearing at the (Palestine Writes) Festival, those who Writes) organizing Festival and inviting Jew-hating Palestinian nationalists will not be punished because Penn allows and protects the expression of all views, even those that conflict with Penn’s “institutional values.”
The Palestine Writes event was criticized after it emerged that participants included at least one speaker linked to anti-Semitism
David Magerman is among those withdrawing their funding from the institution over its response to the threat of anti-Semitism
“But when a strongly conservative and tenured professor invites Jared Taylor, appoints Charles Murray and Enoch Powell, and uses social media to tell very hard-to-hear truths about group differences, she is not protected. On the contrary, she will be sanctioned.’
The letter was sent two days after the devastating Hamas attacks of October 7 and alleges an “obvious” double standard.
It comes as the university struggles to maintain donations after several major donors pulled the plug on funding amid what they saw as an unsatisfactory response to the Palestine Writes festival, anti-Semitism and the perceived lax response to the attacks.
“We are devastated by the horrific attack on Israel by Hamas targeting civilians and the hostage taking this weekend. These abhorrent attacks have resulted in the tragic loss of life and the escalation of violence and unrest in the region,” Magill said in a statement three days after the attack.
“Many members of our community are hurting right now. Our thoughts are especially with those who are grieving the loss of loved ones or facing serious uncertainty about the safety of their family and friends.”
Penn is rapidly losing high-profile donors in the wake of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival and President Liz Magill’s response to the recent terrorist attacks in Israel
But some objected to the statement, saying it did not go far enough and condemned the attack.
That prompted several prominent alumni to cut ties with Penn, including David Magerman, a Jewish computer scientist who helped build the trading systems of the Renaissance.
Magerman’s decision came after Apollo CEO Marc Rowand and Highsage Ventures founder Jonathan Jacboson cut their donations to just $1.
Estee Lauder heir Ronald Lauder also vowed to “reexamine” his financial involvement with the institution unless it did more to protect Jewish students.
Meanwhile, Trustee Vahan Gureghian called for Magill’s resignation after resigning from the board, believing it was an inadequate response to rising anti-Semitism on campus.
“Like so many elite academic institutions, UPenn’s leadership has failed us through its embrace of anti-Semitism, failure to stand up for justice, and complete negligence in defending the well-being of its own students,” Gureghian said.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the University of Pennsylvania for comment.