More than 2,500 scholars, journalists and health professionals have signed a petition as of Sunday demanding that Northwestern reinstate Medill Prof. Steven Thrasher after the University canceled his classes and placed him under investigation.
Thrasher’s class cancellations came after he faced misdemeanor charges from Cook County prosecutors for his participation in the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow in April. The charges, which were dropped in July, alleged that Thrasher and three other demonstrators obstructed police when they formed a protective line between campus police and student protesters on the first day of the encampment.
“We … are deeply concerned that Northwestern University is targeting Dr. Steven Thrasher for his political speech against Israel’s war in Gaza and for defending those students who also stand against it,” the petition reads.
The petition garnered signatures from philosopher and gender studies scholar Judith Butler, Greg Saunier from the indie band Deerhoof and more than 190 NU academics and alumni.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Thrasher thanked the petition’s signatories.
“I’ve just been sitting here, crying, reading about the support … you have for me, and that you have for our students, that you have for the people of Palestine,” Thrasher said in the video.
Thrasher told The Daily that the University is investigating his use of social media, his views on journalistic objectivity and other complaints made against him. His participation at the Deering encampment was not cited as a reason for the investigation.
The investigation into Thrasher began after NU administration received two letters from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which said Thrasher’s participation in the encampment was antisemitic and asked the University for details about all disciplinary cases related to such “alleged antisemitic incidents.”
The petition calls for NU to “reject this new McCarthyism” and to reinstate Thrasher “without condition.”
“If the university administration continues a policy that … succumbs to the intimidation of nefarious forces outside of academia, it will irrevocably tarnish Northwestern’s reputation,” the petition reads.
A.J. Bauer, a journalism and creative media professor at the University of Alabama, was one of more than 30 people involved in writing, editing and circulating the petition.
Bauer said the group initially collected about 350 signatures through close connections and submitted the petition to NU administration about a month ago. They decided to publicize the petition after the University responded, stating it would not discuss personnel matters.
“We’re of the perspective that (Thrasher) has done nothing wrong,” Bauer said. “As far as we can tell, he’s done nothing but support his students, and we think that faculty that show up for their students in times of need should not be punished for that.”
Feinberg Prof. Kathryn Macapagal, who signed the petition, said she felt NU’s disciplinary action against Thrasher was “disproportionate,” especially because it would affect not only Thrasher but his students.
As a past guest lecturer in Thrasher’s classes, Macapagal said she thinks Thrasher’s classes were unique in modeling how to approach sensitive or difficult topics with empathy and care.
“I’ve witnessed the joy and the passion that his classes bring for students, and it was really a shame that they won’t be able to benefit from them (this year),” Macapagal said.
Lewis Raven Wallace (Weinberg ‘10), an independent journalist whose writing on objectivity is often taught in Thrasher’s classes and in Medill’s core curriculum, was one of the petition’s first signatories.
Wallace said they were angry and frustrated to hear about the punitive approach NU took against Thrasher.
“This is just a sad but very clear example of how ‘you’re too biased’ or ‘you’re not objective’ can be deployed against anyone at any time over any issue,” Wallace said. “It has been deployed countless times by institutions around Palestine, and it’s a power move — it has nothing to do with journalistic ethics.”
Wallace has been invited several times to speak to Medill students about questioning the notion of objectivity taught in journalism classes. They said they believe Medill leadership knows that discussions and debates on objectivity are common among its students.
“It makes me sad to see leadership in the field of journalism behaving so hypocritically,” Wallace said. “It sets a really depressing example for people who want to become journalists and who want to change the world through journalism — it’s the kind of thing that makes marginalized and oppressed people feel like they can’t or shouldn’t be journalists.”
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the Northwestern school Wallace attended. The Daily regrets this error.
Email: [email protected]
X: @ joyycee_li
Related Stories:
— Medill investigates professor who participated in pro-Palestine encampment, cancels his classes
— Misdemeanor charges dropped against NU faculty for activity during pro-Palestinian encampment
