More than 70 US congressmen from both parties believe that the testimony of three presidents of some of the most prestigious universities in the world: Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) “demonstrated a complete lack of integrity moral”. and highlighted the problematic double standards and dehumanization of Jewish communities.”
Lawmakers are calling on the boards of these universities to fire their presidents. Reuters obtained the letter outlining these demands.
The authors of the letter are Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and her Democratic colleague Jared Moskowitz.
“Given this moment of crisis, we demand that your councils immediately remove each of these presidents from office and provide practical plans to ensure the safety of Jewish and Israeli students and faculty on their campuses,” the congressmen said in the letter.
Harvard University President Claudine Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth testified Tuesday at a House Education Committee hearing.
They were criticized by Jewish communities for their response to massive anti-Israel student protests featuring anti-Semitic slogans.
During a House hearing, the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania and MIT refused to give a clear answer to Congresswoman Stefanik’s question about whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated the intimidation and harassment provisions of the codes of conduct of their universities.
“If words become actions, then it can be considered rape,” Magill responded. Kornbluth and Gay gave similar answers, saying it all depends on context.
Video excerpts from these hearings went viral on social media and caused further outrage among the university’s Jewish communities.
MIT’s executive committee said Thursday that MIT President Kornbluth continues to have its full support.