US professor with tenure fired for supporting pro-Palestinian protests challenges termination

A tenured faculty member at San Jos State University in California is contesting her termination after being dismissed last month due to her involvement in pro-Palestinian activism, marking the first instance of a tenured professor being removed from a public university for participating in campus protests related to Israels conflict in Gaza.

Sang Hea Kil, a long-serving member of the justice studies department and faculty advisor to the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, joins a growing list of educators who have faced suspension, investigation, or dismissal following pro-Palestinian demonstrations on U.S. campuses since the start of Israels war in Gaza.

Her case follows precedents such as Steven Salaita, dismissed in 2014 from the University of Illinois for social media posts criticizing Israels actions in Gaza. Other cases include Maura Finkelstein, fired from Muhlenberg College for her criticism of Israel, and Katherine Franke, a Columbia University law professor, who stepped down amid what she described as a hostile environment suppressing debate on the conflict.

Kils dismissal raises concerns about academic freedom and free speech on campuses, particularly regarding facultys rights when engaging in activities outside classroom duties. The university cited Kils involvement in a February 2024 protest, where tensions between students and a faculty member escalated, as a primary reason for the termination. Additional allegations included remarks encouraging students to create an unsanctioned encampment, which she later joined.

During the February protest, Kil was present when a confrontation became physical. She asserts she attended in a personal capacity and accused another faculty member of assaulting a student. Kil also cited police raids on similar encampments in other cities as a reason for joining the student-led protest, which lasted ten days, of which she participated for three.

San Jos State University declined to comment on personnel matters. The California Faculty Association, representing Kil in arbitration, condemned the dismissal, emphasizing that it infringes on free speech and academic freedom. Kil has indicated she will pursue legal action if arbitration does not restore her position, stressing that faculty should be able to protest injustices without facing targeted punishment.

Following an internal review last June, a faculty committee acknowledged some policy breaches but deemed dismissal excessive. Despite this, University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson upheld the termination, claiming Kil endangered student safety and violated university regulations knowingly as an advisor to a student group.

Henry Reichman, a retired professor and academic freedom advocate, testified in Kils favor during the appeal. He argued that while Kil may have violated certain policies, these actions did not affect her ability to fulfill her teaching responsibilities, the primary standard for assessing tenured faculty performance.

Author: Jackson Miller