After photos were shared online showing Rachida Primov, a senior lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences, wearing a sash with the word "Palestine" inside a UM classroom, the university shared a statement explaining that Primov "inadvertently came at odds with" its policies prohibiting political advocacy in the classroom.
The issue was "addressed swiftly" by senior leadership at the university, according to the statement.
"I am truly sorry to those who were offended by my wearing of a sash in class with the word Palestine on it. I am not an antisemite, and the purpose of me wearing this sash was to show compassion and support for all civilian victims of this terrible war – both Palestinian and Israeli," Primov wrote. "I have been with the University of Miami for 30 years. I love all of ours students and the University community and would never intentionally do anything to disrupt or harm our learning environment or make any student uncomfortable."
— University of Miami (@univmiami) August 23, 2024The university emphasized that it is "committed to free expression, academic excellence, and intellectual inquiry, which rely on the civil, respectful exchange of ideas."
"As concerns about safety and protection of free speech have roiled college campuses over the past year, UM has been steadfast in safeguarding our students and faculty," the statement reads. "We will continue to swiftly address any instances that are not in keeping with our policies and our core values of respect, open mindedness, that are essential to our culture at the U."
A UM spokesperson did not immediately respond to New Times' questions about whether Primov was disciplined for the incident.
In a statement sent to New Times, Muslim advocacy group CAIR-Florida's spokesperson Wilfredo Ruiz wrote that "it is clear that the University of Miami is at odds not with the lecturer, but with the identity of Palestine, its flag and its right to exist as a nation."
"We don’t believe the university sanctions lecturers or anyone else who displays flags of any other nation, including Israel," Ruiz wrote. "Universities should be a sanctuary for freedom of speech, not a place of political persecution."
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), more than 2,000 Jewish undergraduate students are enrolled UM, as well as 1,500 Jewish graduate students.
It's unclear how many Arab or Palestinian students currently attend the private university.
Since Hamas terrorists mounted a wide-sweeping attack in Israel in October, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 200 others hostage, Israel has responded with an ongoing bombardment of the densely populated Gaza territory. The siege has left more than 2 million Palestinian residents — nearly half of whom are children — mired in a humanitarian crisis.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the 10-month-long conflict, according to Palestinian health authorities.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
