MIT Accused Of Violating First Amendment Rights With Reprisals And Censorship Of Students and Faculty Discussing Palestine

MIT student Prahlad Iyengar and Professor of Linguistics Michel DeGraff's cases are the focus of the petition

Thousands of people and almost a hundred organizations have signed a petition launched by The MIT Coalition for Palestine to challenge the censorship of Palestinian advocacy and education on campus. 

As of November 21, 2024, the petition had 2487 individual signees and 90 organizations showing their support and its claimed the university’s actions have impacted students and faculty alike without due process. 

Second-year student Prahlad Iyengar’s academic career has been drastically impacted since the school banned him from campus and his place of work and he faces potential suspension or expulsion. 

Iyengar serves as one of the founding members and a chief editor of Written Revolution, a student-run zine that aims to uplift voices of support and solidarity with the oppressed, in which his piece “On Pacifism” was featured in the fifth issue. 

MIT cites this article and anonymous attacks labeling him as a “student terrorist” as justification for their actions. He has been charged with accusations of promoting violence and destructive protests at MIT without any opportunity to defend himself. 

Written Revolution is a bi-monthly zine started in February 2024 to advocate for the Palestinian struggle

Soon after Iyengar was notified of the charges he’d be facing, the Written Revolution suffered consequences of its own. In his statement on political repression, Iyengar says that David Randall, dean of student life, told the platform that their publication was officially banned and censored. 

Its fifth issue was  forbidden from being distributed on the MIT Campus as well as anywhere else if it used the MIT name or the name of any associated organization. 

“Do we want colleges and universities to be places for free and open discussion, or are we going to allow MIT's administration to essentially accuse its own students of ‘terrorism’ and ban student-run publications for articles that attempt to thoughtfully address the burning issues of the day?” he asks, challenging the university’s actions. 

Many students said they feel that the school has violated their First Amendment rights and are concerned about the precedent this will set in the future. 

“Expelling me and banning Written Revolution from campus as a result of this article would mark an unprecedented attack on the rights of the entire student body and faculty,” Iyengar says. 

African American Professor Michel DeGraff is another alleged victim of MIT reprisals. Despite being part of the Linguistics department for over 28 years, DeGraff has experienced similar struggles. 

Professor Michel DeGraff has taught Linguistics at MIT for over 28 years

Critics accuse MIT of hypocrisy, citing how in 2021, DeGraff taught a seminar of similar focus on Linguistics and Social Justice. They speculate that MIT’s position has changed since October 7. 

These topics also have direct relevance to DeGraff’s ongoing research, his work experience, and his upcoming book on native languages for liberation. Entitled Our Own Language: The Power of Kreyòl and Other Native Languages for Liberation and Justice in Haiti and Beyond, it's set to be published by MIT Press itself, furthering the university’s contradictory actions. 

DeGraff’s difficulties with MIT continue to mount, and his standing in the linguistics department has now been revoked. As of Nov 14, 2024, the university has removed him from the department, stripping him of his title and now referring to him as “faculty at large." 

MIT justified its actions by accusing DeGraff of using university email, social media, newspapers and more to respond to targeted attacks, despite his intent being to defend himself. 

DeGraff has been accused of causing “disruptions” and promoting “chilling speech”, without any recourse to defend himself and it appears with little evidence to support the claims against him. 

His supporters say further retaliation occurred after he spoke out about his treatment, the university chose to deny him his annual pay raise, suspending it until March 31, 2025. He remains under threat of further punishment. 

Supporters of DeGraff and Iyengar are making the following demands: 

End to the punishment that Prahlad Iyengar faces for his free expression in the Written Revolution. 

End to MIT’s ban on student-produced literature, ideas, and content, as well as the restriction on the distribution of such materials. 

End to all disciplinary action against Professor Michel DeGraff, reinstate his title and MIT must commit to allowing DeGraff to teach his originally intended course. 

The MIT Coalition for Palestine has launched this initiative to address the situation at hand

American Muslim Today asked MIT for a response but we have not received a reply as of publication.