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Handling Unrest on College Campuses

November 6th, 2023 by Kenneth Abrahams

May 2020 and the months that followed were a difficult time in America. Of course, it was the beginning of the most serious phase of COVID and there was a lockdown nationwide. On top of that, George Floyd’s murder, at the hands of the police, sparked civil unrest nationwide, the likes of which had not been seen in decades. Protesters of all races, religions, and socio-economic levels took to the streets to demand police reforms and better treatment for people of color. In some areas, the protests turned violent but more often than not they were peaceful, loud but peaceful. It prompted discussions at all levels of society and in the halls of government, both local and national, as to what the problems were and how they could be solved. Colleges, because of the shutdown, were not faced with how to deal with the protests or what forums should be offered to address student concerns. When schools started to reopen in the fall of 2020, there were so many restrictions in place for events or gatherings that administrators still didn’t have to worry about communal unrest.

As time went on, and the restrictions loosened, many colleges and universities had open forums or discussions to talk about what had happened and how the country had responded. By then, a natural cooling off period had occurred and neither temper nor anger were at the fever pitch that they had been in May. This allowed for calmer, open, productive discussions to occur with fewer feathers being ruffled. To many the issue was clear cut; there is a right side and a wrong side. George Floyd had been stopped for allegedly passing a counterfeit bill at a store, an allegation that was never proven, his treatment at the hands of the police was clearly unconscionable. It is hard, if not impossible, for anyone to defend Officer Derek Chauvin’s actions. He knelt on a man’s neck for 9 minutes ignoring his call that he couldn’t breathe.

So, after the easier path needed to handle the George Floyd murder, college and university campuses across the country were ill prepared for the crisis in the Middle East. Following the events of October 7th, colleges and universities, along with student groups on those campuses, began releasing statements about the events along with holding rallies, protests, and vigils supporting one side or the other, while condemning the opposition. No school was thrust faster into the spotlight or received more ink than America’s oldest university, Harvard. A group of Pro–Palestine students issued a statement saying that they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence". University response in the eyes of some was slow and not nearly forceful enough. Some wanted a far stronger show of support for Israel and a condemnation not only of Hamas, the group that launched the attack, but of the student groups that signed that statement as well.

In the weeks that followed, the drama at Harvard played out in the press. Alumni and financial supporters of the college have either distanced themselves or cut ties completely with the University. Concerns about the newly installed president’s leadership have been discussed both on campus and across the globe. On campus protests of support for both the Palestinians and Israel have taken place. At one point, someone hired a truck, which displayed the names and faces of the students that had authored and signed the original statement, to drive through Harvard Square, which according to reports, led to threats including death threats against those students.

Nationwide colleges and universities have struggled with if and how to respond to this situation and humanitarian crisis. It is clearly a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Regardless of any potential statement, or the lack thereof, people are going to be unhappy. Institutions that decide to make a statement are often questioned as to why they are getting involved in something that doesn’t directly involve that institution. Or the content is questioned either because they took a strong stance, or their stance was considered weak in the eyes of some in their community. Those that choose to remain silent are also vilified for a lack of courage or conviction. How in the face of innocent civilians, some being old while others being mere infants, can we remain silent, is questioned by some with a connection to those institutions.

There are at least two main differences between the George Floyd situation of 2020 and the conflict in the Middle East today. First is that many people, including myself, really don’t understand the history of the region and what is factually accurate or inaccurate about the information we receive. As is often the case, people are getting their “information” from friends, social media, or news sources that may or may not be biased. It is rare that, in the words of

Dragnets Sargent Joe Friday, you are getting “Just the facts.”  What also sets this situation apart from the death of George Floyd is that it is harder to see a clear line of who is right and who is wrong. Yes, specific acts may be easier to label as right or wrong, but this is a situation and a story with many twists and turns. Like some, I have been inundated with information and I am trying to make sense of it all, with very little luck.

In many respects, I feel sorry for administrators on college campuses and those that occupy the corner office. This is not an easy situation and one that, as poet Dylan Thomas wrote, will not “go gentle into that good night.” As the conflict continues and the numbers of dead and injured rise, I have the feeling that more protests will be staged on campuses nationwide. More students will expect a response from school leadership and that leadership will be no better prepared to address it than they are today. I can only hope that along with the protests and anger that there are discussions taking place with the intent of coming up with constructive steps forward. Whether those steps are providing humanitarian aid or opening dialogue between supporters from all sides, the goal should be one of openness and progress. These are sad and troubling times but there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow.

About the author

Ken Abrahams is a practicing Jew. Some may question why that is appearing here and not in the body of the blog. It is the fear that if you read this too early it would create a reader bias. He is truly sorry if people feel that in some way they have been deceived. Although it is on his list, he has never traveled to Israel or the Middle East.

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