"Peyrin Kao, a University of California, Berkeley, computer science lecturer, was suspended from teaching for a semester after UC Berkeley decreed that Kao's criticism of Israel had violated campus bans on "political advocacy" in class. There are two significant problems with this action: Kao didn't engage in advocacy in his class, and Berkeley's rules don't restrict political advocacy."
"The university loves to talk about how they are 'the free speech university,' 'the home of the free speech movement' ... but when it comes to Palestine: 'Sorry, we're drawing the line, your free speech does not apply.'"
"In October, UC Berkeley executive vice chancellor and provost Benjamin Hermalin wrote a letter determining that Kao was guilty of violating Regents Policy 2301 in two incidents. In 2023, Kao, after dismissing class, spoke for four minutes about ethics and technology, and expressed criticism of the Israeli government. In 2024, Kao informed students that he was on a hunger strike (without explaining why)."
Peyrin Kao, a University of California, Berkeley computer science lecturer, was suspended from teaching for a semester after campus officials determined his criticism of Israel violated bans on 'political advocacy' in class. University leaders concluded Kao violated Regents Policy 2301 based on two incidents: a four-minute post-class remark about ethics and technology that criticized the Israeli government in 2023, and informing students in 2024 that he was on a hunger strike. Observers identify two alarming implications: selective targeting of faculty for left-leaning views, or creation of a broader prohibition on political speech in classrooms. Provost Benjamin Hermalin argued that after-class remarks fall under course rules, framing overtime as covered conduct. The case signals widening censorship at prominent universities.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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