Virginia Secretary of Education warns universities to brace for more chaotic anti-Israel protests this fall

Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera sent a warning to universities in the state, telling them the anti-Israel protests that took place during the spring semester will likely continue in the fall and perhaps become “even more chaotic.”

The email was obtained and published by The Washington Free Beacon.

“As we prepare for students’ return to our college and university campuses, I want to emphasize the importance of every institution strengthening campus safety and security measures ahead of the fall semester,” Guidera wrote in the email.

In the email, Secretary Guidera explained that Virginia’s government has done substantial work to ensure that colleges can operate safely in the upcoming months. Guidera specifically cites reports that the fall semester will be “even more chaotic” than the spring semester.

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“Considering the challenges faced on college and university campuses last academic year and reports that the fall will be even more chaotic,” Guidera wrote in the email, “we have asked each institution take proactive steps to update policies and improve communication channels before students return this fall.”

Guidera specifically urges Virginia universities to “update their codes of conduct” to address “disruptions of school functions,” violations of the law, “unlawful masking,” “erection of encampments,” and “facility usage by affiliated and non-affiliated persons/groups.”

Guidera is not the first person to predict that the pro-Palestine protests that surged throughout the nation during the spring will continue—and perhaps even redouble—in the fall.

Campus Reform has previously reported about the encampment that was set up at the University of Virginia during the spring 2024 semester, and the university’s subsequent decision to withhold degrees from some of the protestors.

“Sadly, we expect anti-Israel activity will re-emerge at some colleges and universities as the fall semester begins,” the American Jewish Committee told Campus Reform earlier this month. “This semester, the response needs to be different.”

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Guidera’s warning could become relevant since experts have noted that some universities have failed to take proactive steps to preempt a new onslaught of anti-Israel protests.

For instance, Julia Jassey, CEO of Jewish on Campus, argued that university administrations have failed to adequately brace themselves.

“We haven’t seen much from universities yet. We haven’t seen many that are proactive,” Jassey said. “We had hoped that heading into the school year that universities would be better prepared than last year.”