Re: California valedictorian will no longer give graduation speech over 'alarming' discussion

On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:42:54 -0700, Josh Rosenbluth
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On 4/17/2024 6:42 PM, Lou Bricano wrote:
>> On 4/17/2024 6:17 PM, Josh Rosenbluth wrote:
>>> On 4/17/2024 3:58 PM, Just Wondering wrote:
>>>> On 4/17/2024 5:20 AM, NoBody wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 06:23:36 -0000 (UTC), useapen
>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> The University of Southern California said its valedictorian will no
>>>>>> longer deliver a graduation speech this year, citing "substantial 
>>>>>> risks
>>>>>> relating to security" over social media chatter surrounding the 
>>>>>> Israel-
>>>>>> Hamas conflict.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Los Angeles school revealed that Asna Tabassum, a fourth-year 
>>>>>> student
>>>>>> from Chino Hills, California, was selected as the valedictorian and 
>>>>>> would give a speech alongside two salutatorians. In a news release 
>>>>>> Monday, the
>>>>>> university said she would no longer speak at the ceremony after the
>>>>>> discussion about her selection took on "an alarming tenor."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The move comes after some students, alumni and others complained to 
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> university about Tabassum's social media, which includes an 
>>>>>> Instagram bio
>>>>>> that links to a pro-Palestine website.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/04/15/usc-cancels-
>>>>>> valedictorian-graduation-speech-israel-hamas/73336731007/
>>>>>
>>>>> Nothing like silencing free speech.
>>>>>
>>>> If she avoids politics she should be allowed to speak.
>>>> But the valedictorian speech should not give her a platform
>>>> for a pro-Palestinian anti-Israel speech.  She should be
>>>> allowed to say whatever she wants on the subject, but there
>>>> is a time and place for everything and her college graduation
>>>> ceremony is not the time and place for that sort of thing.
>>>
>>> That's not how freedom of speech ought to work.
>> 
>> I think canceling the woman's valedictory address is bad and wrong. 
>> However, it's a private university and they don't have to play by the 
>> same rules as state schools.
>
>True. But, California has a law which extends freedom of speech to 
>private universities to the point where a student cannot be disciplined 
>for exercising their freedom of speech. It's doubtful that denying a 
>student a valedictorian address is "disciplinary sanction" as stated in 
>the statute, but you never know.

If it is retaliation for exercising her right to free speech, it most
certainly could be viewed as a punishment.