USC cancels speech by pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns

The University of Southern California will not have its pro-Palestinian valedictorian deliver the 2024 commencement speech during graduation, citing security concerns and leading to condemnation from a leading Muslim group.

Shortly after USC announced Asna Tabassum, a fourth year student from Chino Hills with a major in biomedical engineering and a minor in resistance to genocide, was selected as the 2024 valedictorian, there were calls for the university to reconsider their decision. 

Several organizations asked for USC to remove her as valedictorian because of a link on her social media account that they said contains anti-Semitic language.

Tabassum’s Instagram account links to a slideshow encouraging people to “learn about what’s happening in palestine, and how to help.” It calls for “one palestinian state,” which it says “would mean palestinian liberation, and the complete abolishment of the state of israel,” NBC News reported. 

Trojans for Israel said this “must be denounced as antisemitic bigotry.”

Tabassum said that link was shared on her social media account five years ago and that she was not the author.

While USC officials said while they can’t comment if they’ve received any threats, they said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has contributed to violence at other campuses.

Tabassum, who is a first-generation South Asian American Muslim, told NBC Los Angeles that she was disappointed by the school’s decision to not have her speak at the graduation. She called this a "campaign of hate," meant to silence her voice.

“As your class valedictorian, I implore my USC classmates to think outside the box — to work towards a world where cries for equality and human dignity are not manipulated to be expressions of hatred,” Tabassum said in a statement. 

USC released a community message, explaining the decision: 

“This decision is not only necessary to maintain the safety of our campus and students, but is consistent with the fundamental legal obligation – including the expectations of federal regulators – that universities act to protect students and keep our campus community safe. It applies the same values and criteria that we have used in the past to guide our actions."

"In no way does it diminish the remarkable academic achievements of any student considered or selected for valedictorian. To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period.”

Tabassum said she was not aware of any specific threats made against her or the university.  

“I challenge us to respond to ideological discomfort with dialogue and learning, not bigotry and censorship. And I urge us to see past our deepest fears and recognize the need to support justice for all people, including the Palestinian people," she said.

The nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations' Los Angeles office called the move by USC to not have Tabassum deliver the commencement speech a “cowardly decision.”

In a written statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said "The dishonest and defamatory attacks on Asna are nothing more than thinly-veiled manifestations of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, which have been weaponized against college students across the country who speak up for human rights — and for Palestinian humanity."

He called on USC to reverse its decision.

“We call on USC to immediately reverse course, restore her speech and treat all students fairly and justly, starting with Asna. We look forward to USC’S swift response.”

Alex Morey, the director of Campus Rights Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free speech nonprofit, said USC needs to take a clear stance to provide clarity to students, parents and school employees.  

“They will help themselves by adopting positions for example of institutional neutrality where they say we are not going to take political sides, one way or the other and by standing by their really strong free speech principle in every instance, so that when something really controversial like this pops up, students, faculty, they know where USC is going to stand,” said Morey.

The university's valedictorians are chosen by a selection committee, and the university said this year it evaluated nearly 100 applicants who applied and met the GPA requirement. The committee then made its decision based on criteria including the student's academic program and an essay submission.