Columbia University announced over the weekend the termination of Professor Katherine Franke, a senior law professor and director of the Center for Gender and Sexuality, following an internal investigation.
\nThe inquiry found that Franke violated the university’s policies by making discriminatory statements about Israeli and Jewish students. Franke\u2019s dismissal comes after more than two decades of serving in prominent roles at the university.<\/p>\n
Accusations of Incitement Against Israeli Students: \u201cA Threat After Military Service\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n The decision to terminate Professor Franke follows controversial remarks she made in a televised interview about an incident on campus in January 2024. During heated protests calling for Columbia to divest from Israel, an Israeli student allegedly spilled a foul-smelling liquid on pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The student was suspended but later won a $395,000 settlement after suing the university for what was deemed an \u201cexcessive response.\u201d<\/p>\n In the interview, Franke described Israeli students arriving on campus after their military service as a “threat to others\u2019 safety,” claiming, \u201cThe transition from soldier to student is difficult.\u201d She further alleged that \u201cit is well-known that they harass Palestinians and other students on our campus.\u201d Franke called on the university to take stricter measures to ensure the safety of students.<\/p>\n Backlash from Faculty and Students<\/strong> Reason for Dismissal: \u201cViolation of Equality Policies\u201d <\/strong> Franke Denounces Decision as Political Retaliation<\/strong> As debates over academic freedom and free speech continue to intensify on American campuses, Columbia\u2019s decision underscores the challenges of navigating these issues in a polarized environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Law Professor and Gender Studies Head Katherine Franke was dismissed over alleged discrimination against Israeli and Jewish students. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2241],"tags":[2625,1603,2623,2624],"class_list":["post-12896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-israel-advocacy","tag-anti-israel-protests","tag-antisemitism","tag-colombia-university","tag-propalestinian"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nFranke\u2019s comments sparked outrage among faculty members and students. Formal complaints accused her of making harmful generalizations about all Israeli students and of exceeding the bounds of free speech. The investigation also revealed that Franke shared inflammatory social media posts about one of her complainants, labeling him a \u201cgenocidal murderer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAn external investigation conducted by an independent law firm concluded that Franke\u2019s actions and statements breached the university\u2019s equality policies. Based on the findings, Columbia\u2019s administration decided to terminate her employment.<\/p>\n
\nIn response, Franke claimed her dismissal was politically motivated and disguised as a \u201cforced retirement\u201d due to her support for Palestinian rights. She stated, \u201cThe administration allowed manipulative use of disciplinary complaints to curtail my actions.\u201d<\/p>\n