Catholic University doubles down on blocking antisemitism speakers
by Sean Salai · The Washington TimesThe Catholic University of America is pushing back on free-speech complaints after blocking a student group from hosting talks on antisemitism unless it presents “both sides.”
The private university informed the group Students Supporting Israel that Rep. Randy Fine, Florida Republican, could not speak this spring on “the documented rise of antisemitism across the United States” because the event lacked “speakers representing both sides of this issue.”
Administrators also blocked retired Israel Defense Forces Col. Dany Tirza, the architect of Israel’s security fence, from speaking on how and why it was built. They invited students to restructure the events, prompting public backlash from Mr. Fine and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free-speech watchdog.
The congressman, who is Jewish, described the policy as a free-speech infringement on April 29 during a hearing of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
“The university said ’no, you can only have him come speak on antisemitism if you’re willing to invite someone who will share the opposite perspective,’” Mr. Fine said. “I guess the ’we like antisemitism’ crowd.”
A university spokesperson insisted officials “never required SSI to invite an antisemitic voice.”
“The congressman is known for his defense of Israel, as well as controversial opinions regarding Muslims that have drawn rebukes from Jewish leaders, pro-Israel organizations, and members of Congress in both parties,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We made a decision to reach out to the student group to discuss how to structure this important conversation on antisemitism so that the topic itself would be the main focus of the event.”
The university “stands firmly against antisemitism,” the statement added. “As a private, faith-based institution, Catholic University reserves the right to shape events on our campus. Our offer stands to work with the student group to host a thoughtful, educational event on the alarming rise of antisemitism on college campuses.”
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Emerson Sykes, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, told Mr. Fine during the hearing that Catholic University’s policy is legal because the school is not a public institution.
“Catholic University is not bound by the First Amendment,” Mr. Sykes said. “So they can create policies as they wish, in general.”
Mr. Fine rejected that argument, suggesting the university could lose federal student aid for “managing narratives” rather than “honoring the First Amendment.”
“There’s very few institutions in this country that could survive without money that comes from this building,” the congressman told Mr. Sykes. “They want to be private, they can do it on their own.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has insisted the “balanced presentation” requirement violates the university’s own free-speech policies and accreditation standards by selectively suppressing controversial views.
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’Held to a higher standard’
The Philadelphia group noted in a March 18 letter that the school has allowed other campus groups to host political speakers without requiring them to sponsor opposing views.
Examples include the College Democrats hosting a pro-choice speaker in February and conservatives hosting Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh for his “What is a Woman?” book tour in 2022.
In a follow-up letter on April 17, FIRE pledged to file a complaint with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education if the university does not abandon the requirement.
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“We’re in active communication with Catholic University and hope to have a substantive update soon,” FIRE spokesman Alex Griswold said Tuesday.
It’s the second time this academic year that Catholic University has blocked Students Supporting Israel.
On Oct. 7, administrators dismantled an Israeli-flagged memorial to victims of the Hamas terror attack for violating a campus ban on foreign banners, despite having allowed Ukrainian and Palestinian flags in previous months.
Felipe Avila, a senior nursing major and campus president of CUA Students Supporting Israel, has accused the school of inventing policies and applying them only to his group.
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“We’re being held to a higher standard that we think is motivated by viewpoint discrimination against our support for Israel,” Mr. Avila said Tuesday in a phone call. “There’s no other explanation for it that I can see.”
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.