Anti-Israel student group plays victim after getting banned for repeatedly violating Case Western policy
An Ohio university suspended its SJP chapter after the group allegedly violated the school’s postering policy several times.
The SJP reportedly ignored several attempts by the university to discuss the matter and refused to uncover the identities of the culpable students.
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) due to the group’s alleged repeated failure to comply with the university’s Student Code of Conduct and its postering policy.
A letter from the Cleveland, Ohio school that was posted this March on X states: “Based on the organization’s ongoing failure to follow the University’s posting policy and student code of conduct, as well as a failure to respond to requests from the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, the decision has been made to impose an Interim Loss of Recognition on CWRU Students for Justice in Palestine.”
“This means that effective immediately, the organization is no longer recognized as a student organization at Case Western Reserve University and is no longer eligible to receive any student organization privileges for the duration of the interim loss of recognition,” the letter continues.
[RELATED: ASU suspends left-wing student org that called for ‘death’ to ‘the zionist’: ‘We do not condemn Hamas’]
The letter relates that “o[n] February 13, 2024, eleven individuals believed to be associated with CWRU Students for Justice in Palestine engaged in glueing fliers to the CWRU Spirit Wall in violation of the University’s posting policy and student code of conduct. On February 16, 2024, four individuals believed to be associated with CWRU Students for Justice in Palestine engaged in glueing fliers to various surfaces around campus in violation of the University’s posting policy and student code of conduct.”
According to the letter, university administrators repeatedly reached out to the SJP on campus to “schedule a time to meet and required the organization to provide information about individuals involved with the incidents and a roster of organizational membership and leaders,” a request that the anti-Israel group ignored each time, instead continuing with their activities.
The letter continues, stating that for the SJP to become recognized on campus again, the group would need to agree to several of the school’s demands, including giving school officials the names of the culpable students, “[p]rovide a full and up to date roster listing the organization’s members and leadership,” and “[e]ngage in continued participation in meetings with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards to investigate and resolve the incidents through the student conduct process.”
[Related: UMass Amherst faculty defend anti-Israel students facing criminal charges: ‘This will go on their permanent records.’]
Taking to Instagram, CWRU SJP lashed out against the university’s decision, stating: “Now it is permanent: the relationship between CWRU administration and its students is forever tainted by its deliberate creation of a hostile and unsafe student environment as a way ignore [sic] their own complicit role in shedding Palestinian blood.”
The SJP also seemed to deny posting the flyers in question, writing: “CWRU administration demanded that SJP name individuals allegedly involved in the flier posting. This allegation by CWRU demonstrates that students who support Palestinian voices are guilty until proven innocent.”
The group also claimed that the suspension “is another example of the hostility with which CWRU administration treats SJP with. This reaction is a clear pattern of suppression of students’ 1st Amendment rights in this time of much needed advocacy for Palestine.”
Campus Reform contacted CWRU and CWRU’s SJP. This article will be updated accordingly.
