York University Needs to Quit Stalling, Respond to anti-Palestinian Racism Report

 

By seeking to dismiss and undermine the report, York University perpetuates anti-Palestinian racism, write faculty members Tamanisha J. John and Ali Kazimi

In November 2024, Race Equity Caucus (REC, which we are members of) published a report documenting systemic anti-Palestinian racism at York University.

Rather than engage the report with integrity, York University has been dismissive. The university cited “concerns with the report’s methodology” and disagreed with its “assertions,” without specifying what those concerns or disagreements were. 

Despite this, the REC sub-committee which authored the report and other members of REC agreed in good faith to meet with senior administrators. At the first meeting on Jan. 6, 2025, REC members were assured that the administration would follow up with a clarification of their methodological concerns. At a second meeting on Apr. 10, no such clarification was provided. 

A senior administrator admitted in that second meeting that she had not reviewed the concerns raised by the university’s spokesperson, despite it being a prominent point during our first meeting. Yet again, the administration promised to follow up “at a later date.”

REC recommended in the meeting that if the administration had no actual disagreement with the report’s findings or methodology, the administration should issue a public apology and retract its previous statements. Silence followed.  (more...)

York University Needs to Quit Stalling, Respond to anti-Palestinian Racism Report