Asna Tabassum, the valedictorian for 2024, has been excluded from giving the valedictorian speech at the next commencement ceremony by the University of Southern California (USC), a move that has caused controversy. This ruling comes in response to claims made by Jewish organizations that the material on her pro-Palestinian social media posts is antisemitic.
In a statement, Tabassum, a fourth-year USC biomedical engineering student, emphasized her dismay and amazement. She stressed her commitment to bringing attention to numerous social concerns and her identity as a first-generation American of South Asian origin.
Tabassum, who is from Chino Hills, a city east of Los Angeles, has also been enrolled in a course that focuses on genocide resistance, according to reports from NBC News and The Guardian. A slideshow urging visitors to educate themselves about the Israel-Palestine issue may be accessed through a link on Tabassum’s Instagram account, according to an article published in the Guardian. The PowerPoint show additionally proposes “one Palestinian state”, adding that it “would mean Palestinian liberation and the complete abolishment of the state of Israel.”
Tabassum, in a statement released on Tuesday by the Council on American-Islamic Relations Greater Los Angeles Area office. She claimed that although university representatives informed her on Monday that they had the means to implement the necessary safety precautions, they were worried about their reputation.
“Anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” she said, adding that she was not aware of any specific threats against her or the university.
“I am both shocked by this decision and profoundly disappointed that the university is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice,” she said. “I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university — my home for four years — has abandoned me.”
Tabassum denounced the University’s decision in a statement issued through the Council of American Islamic Relations (Cair), claiming it was a surrender to a “campaign of hate” that sought to silence her voice. She was chosen as the valedictorian from a group of about one hundred graduating students who had outstanding grades.
The private institution in Los Angeles’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Andrew T. Guzman, said in a statement on Monday that the discussion around the choice of valedictorian Asna Tabassum to deliver the commencement speech on May 10 had taken on an “alarming tenor.” He said that her speech would have posed “substantial” security threats to the gathering, which brings roughly 65,000 attendees to the campus.
Guzman stated that “we cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence at other campuses,” without going into detail about whether there had been any threats.
“The intensity of feelings, fuelled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement,” Guzman wrote.
USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman announced that Tabassum’s farewell address would not be taking place. Guzman stated that the University’s action was primarily motivated by “substantial risks relating to security and disruption”. He voiced worry that the commencement ceremony would be interrupted due to the rising tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Identifying as a first-generation Muslim South Asian American, Tabassum stated that her message was intended to provide hope during difficult times.
“By cancelling my speech, USC is only caving to fear and rewarding hatred,” she said.
“As your class Valedictorian, I implore my USC classmates to think outside the box — to work towards a world where cries for equality and human dignity are not manipulated to be expressions of hatred,” she said. “I challenge us to respond to ideological discomfort with dialogue and learning, not bigotry and censorship. And I urge us to see past our deepest fears and recognize the need to support justice for all people, including the Palestinian people.”
The decision to prevent Tabassum from speaking at the commencement ceremony has prompted conversations about tolerance, academic freedom, and the boundaries of acceptable speech in school settings as the celebration draws near.