Harvard suspends library access for protesting faculty members

Harvard University has temporarily suspended about 25 faculty members from accessing its Widener Library after they protested in a silent “study” over the school’s disciplinary action against a group of pro-Hamas student protesters.

“Faculty protested the library’s decision to similarly suspend protesting students conducting pro-Palestinian research last month,” writes the school’s student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. reported.

The disqualification will last two weeks.

“During faculty instruction, faculty silently read materials about free speech and dissent while placing signs related to free speech and university policies on the tables in front of them,” The Crimson said. “At the same time, Securitas guards wrote down their names and identification numbers.”

Harvard Crimson also reported that teachers wore black scarves during the protest. The texts they read were “about dissent, bureaucracy and censorship,” such as Franz Kafka’s “The Trial” or George Orwell’s “1984,” as well as the “University-wide Statement of Rights and Responsibilities,” which the newspaper claimed “Harvard officials used to justify imposing sanctions on activists who violate protest rules.”

“Study is a silent form of protest,” Harvard University librarian Martha Whitehead. said in the release.

“Some would argue that this is not disruptive” and that it is “no different from the freedom of expression of someone using a laptop with political stickers on it or wearing a T-shirt with a political message,” she said.

Others believe that “it is inherently disruptive and contrary to the intent of a library reading room,” Whitehead said.

“We are concerned that even when there is no noise, the gathering of people with signs transforms the reading room from a place for individual study and reflection into a forum for public statements,” Whitehead said.

“Librarians have a responsibility to protect library facilities for their intended purpose,” Whitehead said. “Although the reading room is intended for study, it is not intended to be used as a place for group activities, quiet or otherwise, for the purpose of attracting people’s attention.”

The Center Square reached out to Whitehead twice for comment via email and did not receive a response.

The Harvard Library told The Center Square that it does not “comment on individual issues related to library access or privileges” and sent a link to Whitehead’s essay.

Alex Morey, vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told The Center Square that the group is “closely monitoring” this situation at Harvard.

“Silent protest is an important aspect of a healthy free speech culture in any democracy,” Mori said. “This is particularly important in higher education, where we want maximum tolerance for debate and discussion. Harvard’s own high-level free speech policies reflect this.”

“By definition, silent protest is typically non-disruptive, which means it can be a great way for students or faculty to engage in counter-speech,” Mori said.

“Like many other schools, Harvard had a tough time when it came to punishing misconduct and protecting post-October protests. 7,” Mori said.

Mori also said that “Harvard seems to want to protect its library space as sacred, and rightfully so.”

“Many institutions are prohibiting planned indoor protests because they may disrupt the learning environment,” Mori said. “One problem is that Harvard’s broad ban on silent protest is so vague that it could ensnare students or faculty who happen to wear political T-shirts or have stickers on their laptops promoting a cause.”

“Policies that don’t tell students or faculty exactly what they can or can’t do have a very real chilling effect,” Morey said.

“This situation also shows something interesting about the institution’s priorities,” Mori said.

“There are a lot of real issues that Harvard is dealing with right now on the censorship and protest front,” Mori said. “It seems strange that they would take a hard line against this particular type of silent, symbolic expression.”

Center Square officials twice emailed Harvard spokesman Jonathan L. Swain for comment and did not receive a response.