Pro-Palestinian activism at UT escalates after TAs reassigned from positions

Pro-Palestinian activism has intensified at the University of Texas this week, violating university rules and potentially the law, the university said.

The UT Police Department is investigating potentially criminal conduct, including possible trespassing and preventing an individual from exiting, connected with a Friday protest held by supporters of two teaching assistants who were removed from their teaching positions at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work after sending a message to class members in support of Palestinians.

"Protesters crossed the line of acceptable behavior and violated University rules multiple times this week. We will not tolerate disruptions to the teaching and research activities of our students, faculty, and staff; our campus; or events. We are investigating and will punish those found to violate our rules, policies, or the law," the university said in a statement to the American-Statesman.

Last week, two pro-Palestinian protests were held on campus demanding that the two teaching assistants be reinstated — the first at a walkout from an event held by the Athenaeum, an entity under the School of Law, involving Bari Weiss, the author of “How to Fight Antisemitism” and founder of The Free Press, and the second at the School of Social Work on Friday.

On Friday, activists showed up unannounced at the School of Social Work to deliver their list of demands, including that the TAs be reinstated, to the school's dean, Allan Cole, in his private suite. The building was locked afterward, but activists gathered on the front steps to chant and listen to speakers. About 60 people attended.

Callie Kennedy and Parham Daghighi, the two teaching assistants who were removed from their positions, "were not involved personally in the delivery of the statement or the demands to the dean that occurred by some other students," Kennedy told the American-Statesman, but spoke at the rally afterward. They were not present Wednesday.

The university said that "Friday's activities toward a University leader stem from intentionally false narratives and a coordinated disinformation campaign." They said speech is protected, but "harassment, disruption, and dishonesty" are not.

At the same time, faculty members, students and community leaders have continued to demonstrate support for the teaching assistants.

An open letter to Jay Hartzell, UT's president, dated Dec. 11 and signed by more than 100 faculty members, expressed concern about the teaching assistants' reassignment and the speech and well-being of pro-Palestinian students on campus.

What happened with the TAs

Kennedy and Daghighi were removed from their teaching positions Nov. 22 after sharing a message with their class in support of Palestinian students.

Kennedy and Daghighi's message offered mental health support for Palestinian students, statements posted on Instagram by UT groups said, but also explicitly opposed the school’s “silence around the suffering." It also said they “firmly support the rights and autonomy” of Palestinian and Indigenous people.

The university said the teaching assistants would be offered different positions through their graduation in the spring with no loss of pay but did not specify what the positions would be. In an initial email from the School of Social Work dean, the teaching assistants were not offered alternative employment for the spring.

In a statement about the dismissal, the university said the message was “unprofessional,” "inappropriate" and expressed a “personal political stance.” The dean in his email wrote that the students did not have their professor's permission. Kennedy and Daghighi said their message was sent after students requested resources, was shared with their professor’s permission and was relevant to the class’s focus on mental health.

The protests

Both protests consisted of individuals from multiple groups and were not organized by or tied to just one.

A statement sent by event organizers, but not naming students, said that on Friday, a small group of students entered the School of Social Work at 3 p.m. The students wrote that they verbally listed their demands to the dean in his suite.

"Upon hearing our demands, the Dean walked away, entered another office space, then closed and locked the door behind him before the student could finish reading. The students gave the statement of demands to an administrative assistant, who said they would deliver the statement to the Dean," the statement said, adding that the students left the building on their own.

The demands of students, according to their petition, include that the university apologize, reinstate the students, publicly commit to protecting pro-Palestinian speech and well-being, and respond to students' statement of solidarity with Palestinians that was delivered to UT at a Nov. 9 walkout.

In speeches, students called the university’s reassignment of the teaching assistants an act of censorship of voices in support of Palestine. A few of the chants were directly at Cole, the dean, saying he "can't hide."

Protesters wore masks to conceal their identities. This is common with pro-Palestinian activism, as a way to combat national doxxing and safety concerns, but violates UT's rules concerning speech, expression and assembly.

In Chapter 11 of the university's rules concerning student conduct, it says that individuals can be investigated or disciplined for violations including unauthorized entry, harassment and failure to identify themselves upon request, which is considered "failure to comply."

On Wednesday, as Weiss delivered opening remarks at the LBJ Auditorium, about 55 activists ― many wearing face masks and carrying signs and Palestine flags ― rose from their seats, chanting, “Free Palestine.” They complied with university police officers who escorted them out of the venue.

The activists then stood outside during the entire program, chanting and clapping. One activist had a bullhorn, and another had a drum (the Friday rally did not have either). The chants could be heard faintly from inside the venue.

In the dean of students’ campus demonstration guidelines, a “coordinated, quiet walk-out” is listed under FAQs as a way to protest an event “without disruption.” But "creating disruptions in buildings or at university events" and amplified sound in that area after 5 p.m. are prohibited.

The Law School’s Athenaeum, an entity focused on approaching discourse and showcasing a diversity of opinion, hosted the Weiss event as the first of two focused on “the current crisis in the Middle East.” The second, to be held in January, will be with Noura Erakat, a professor and Palestinian activist. Weiss could not be reached for comment.

In a speech Wednesday, a representative from Jewish Voice for Peace, a national organization with a chapter at UT of Jewish people against Zionism, demanded that the teaching assistants who were removed from their positions be reinstated. In an interview afterward, a representative who did not provide his name for safety reasons would not identify groups involved in the protest but said they were against the decision to host Weiss and to reassign the teaching assistants.

Community reaction to TAs

In an interview Friday, Kennedy and Daghighi said that the Faculty Grievance Committee said it will hold a hearing.

The teaching assistants said they have heard from people all over the country in solidarity.

UT’s American Association of University Professors chapter posted a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Dec. 2 that said the removal of the TAs from their teaching positions — initially without the promise of alternate employment in the spring — “can only be understood as an act of retaliation that presents serious concerns regarding freedom of speech and due process for students speaking about Palestine.” A representative of the chapter attended and spoke at the Friday rally.

The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations also released a statement Dec. 9 calling for the teaching assistants to be reinstated.

The Faculty Council asked about the teaching assistants' removal at its meeting Dec. 4. Sharon Wood, the executive vice president and provost, said that the students were in the formal grievance process, so she could only comment generally.

“I want to confirm that the TAs were not fired. The TAs were administratively reassigned,” she said. “If you look in our Handbook of Operating Procedures, alternative work assignments do not constitute disciplinary action.”

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: After TAs were reassigned for pro-Palestinian message, protests escalate