S. 4127 "Antisemitism Awareness Act" Briefing
On Thursday, December 12, 2024 IMEU Policy Project convened lawyers, analysts, & academics to discuss a Senate bill censoring Palestinian advocacy.
Speakers provided a breakdown of S. 4127, the “Antisemitism Awareness Act,” expected to be brought before the Senate by the end of the year. The briefing covered key aspects of S. 4127 as it relates to new campus protest policies and other growing restrictions on student activism, including the exploitation of Title VI to suppress advocacy for Palestinian freedom.
Leading legal experts discussed First Amendment and free speech concerns, and provide an overview of Students for Justice in Palestine v. Abbott, where a federal judge in Texas ruled in October 2024 that censoring criticism of Israel on college campuses is unconstitutional.
Finally, students and faculty shared perspectives on how S. 4127 would deny Palestinian students the right to speak about their experiences of racism, military occupation, apartheid, and genocide; and how the bill would impact thousands of students and faculty already facing university and legal retaliation for their advocacy for Palestinian Rights.