Dear Editor:

In their recent letter to The Daily, Prof. Michael Peshkin and Prof. Elizabeth Shakman Hurd raise objections to the University’s antisemitism training module that range from clearly valid to utterly trivial. But even taking all of their complaints at face value, it was irresponsible for two tenured faculty members to urge students to “refuse this training,” thus imperiling their academic futures.

Peshkin and Hurd denounce the potential consequences of non-compliance, but that will not protect boycotting students from suffering the possible loss of housing, financial aid and perhaps graduation. No 17-minute video is worth inviting such penalties.

It is plainly hypocritical for professors to continue collecting their salaries from NU while encouraging students to risk separation from the University.

What would Peshkin or Hurd say to students who followed their advice that “resistance matters,” adamantly refusing to watch the video, only to be denied enrollment? Would they offer the students alternative housing? Would they help pay off their student loans?

As faculty members, we stand in a relationship of trust to our students, who are entitled to believe that we act in their best interests. It is a violation of trust for professors to push students to jeopardize their education while taking no comparable chances themselves. It would be a true tragedy if even a single student were to lose a scholarship — or worse, a visa — due to Peshkin’s and Hurd’s reckless guidance.

In this instance, NU students evidently have better judgment than the teachers, as all but a handful, if that, have opted to watch the video, whatever their views are on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Steven Lubet

Steven Lubet is the Williams Memorial Professor of Law Emeritus at the Pritzker School of Law. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.