6 days Ago
Former US President Barack Obama has praised Harvard University for "rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom", adding that the institution had "set an example" by standing up to the Donald Trump administration's efforts to limit activism on campus. In a letter sent to Harvard University, the federal government called for broad government and leadership reforms, along with a ban on face masks, which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. In a post, X, Obama wrote, "Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect.
Let’s hope other institutions follow suit." Earlier, the federal government announced its decision to freeze more than USD 2.2 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard University after the institution on Monday denied complying with the Trump administration's demands to limit activism on campus.
In its response, Harvard University said, "No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue." The letter sent to Harvard asked the university to stop recognising or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment. Alan Garber, Harvard President, penned a letter to the Harvard community on Monday, saying that the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights.
He added that the Trump administration's demands also “exceed the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI", which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, colour or national origin. Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools which has been targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration. Notably, the federal government also has paused federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Princeton to force compliance with its agenda.
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