A whole bunch of protesters plan to converge exterior the Shrine Auditorium Sunday, 2 1/2 hours earlier than Pomona School is scheduled to carry its relocated 2024 commencement ceremony.
The choice to maneuver graduation to a venue almost 40 miles from its major campus was made final week after pro-Palestinian protesters — who’ve occupied the unique web site since Might 5 — refused to maneuver.
“We’re deeply grateful to your endurance on this extraordinary state of affairs and we look ahead to honoring our graduates on Sunday,” Pomona School officers mentioned when the relocation was introduced. “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience of those modifications made to make sure that the Class of 2024 can graduate with their family members in attendance. Further security measures might be in place and transportation to the venue might be offered for graduates.”
The protesters proceed to demand that the faculty divest from Israeli-tied firms and weapons producers.
“By converging at [the Shrine Auditorium], scholar organizers purpose to amplify their calls for and expose the interconnected nature of their struggles, linking the battle for Palestinian liberation to broader struggles for social justice and the dismantling of oppressive methods,” George Smith, a director from Pomona Divest from Apartheid, mentioned in a press release early Sunday. “Their message might be inconceivable to disregard: complicity within the oppression of Palestinians is not going to be tolerated, and the battle for justice will proceed to escalate.”
In the meantime, the Louis D. Brandeis Heart for Human Rights Beneath Regulation and the Anti-Defamation League filed a criticism Thursday with the U. S. Division of Schooling Workplace for Civil Rights alleging Pomona School, and Occidental School, have permitted extreme discrimination and harassment of Jewish college students in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“The hostile atmosphere on campus forces Jewish and Israeli college students to hide their identities and precludes them from taking part in Pomona’s social, academic, and extracurricular actions until they disavow their Jewish ancestral and ethnic heritage linked to Israel,” mentioned the criticism filed by the Arnold & Porter legislation agency. “Pomona’s President, G. Gabrielle Starr and Pomona’s administration have been properly conscious of this
ongoing downside however, regardless of latest laudable efforts, President Starr has been unable to handle it `promptly and successfully,’ as is required beneath Title VI, partially, due to the robust opposition she has skilled from pro-Hamas college students and college (with little to no assist from the Board of Trustees), coupled with the complexity of the varsity construction, and the unremittingly hostile atmosphere on campus.”
The criticism outlines a number of incidents it alleges has resulted in a tenuous state of affairs for Jewish college students at Pomona School.
“The state of affairs at Pomona is severe and ongoing, and we’re receiving experiences of latest antisemitic acts of discrimination and harassment every single day,” the criticism states. “Jewish and pro-Israel college students on Pomona’s campus are frightened and alone. One Pomona scholar –a [6-foot-2-inch] strong male scholar chief on campus — is transferring as a result of the hostile atmosphere for Jewish college students has grow to be so overwhelming. Within the painful phrases of 1 Israeli Pomona scholar, ‘if there [was] a approach to full college and by no means go to campus, I’d by no means return to Pomona.’”
In a press release to the Claremont Courier information web site, Pomona School’s Senior Director of Communications, Patricia Vest, mentioned “Pomona School is dedicated to confronting antisemitism in a sustained and complete method. We’ll proceed to implement our insurance policies, promote security and actively problem this damaging type of hate.”
The school’s major graduation ceremony had been scheduled for Sunday on the Marston Quad on the major campus in Claremont, however is now set for six p.m. on the Shrine Auditorium close to USC.
Particular person school division graduations had been held Saturday at varied places on the Pomona School campus to keep away from the beforehand erected commencement stage and reception space the place dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters stay as a part of an encampment.
Giant banners studying “The folks’s campus for Palestine” and the Palestinian flag had been seen Thursday nonetheless hanging from the graduation stage. Protesters have vowed to stay in place and block commencement actions until the faculty commits to divestment.
“College students are ready to defend the encampment till their calls for are met, and name upon the faculty to heed the overwhelming help for divestment of their group,” mentioned a press release from Pomona Divest from Apartheid.
Pomona School officers responded in a press release issued final Monday saying, partially, “Our college students, college, workers and alumni maintain a variety of viewpoints. All year long, school leaders have supplied to fulfill with scholar protesters and can proceed to take action. We’ll promote security for all members of our group and pursue our instructional mission, contemplating the complete vary of viewpoints.”
Protest organizers mentioned they refuse to fulfill with school officers till they comply with “preconditions,” together with disclosure of the faculty’s Israel-related investments and full amnesty for negotiators and different protesters.
They mentioned 19 college students had been arrested April 5 whereas collaborating in a sit- in on the college president’s workplace.
In a press release launched after that motion in early April, Starr mentioned some activists on the sit-in refused to establish themselves and “proceeded to verbally harass workers, even utilizing a sickening, anti-Black racial slur in addressing an administrator.”
Starr mentioned the occupation violated school insurance policies, however “as we have now expressed up to now, we work with college students who’re exercising their proper to protest until that protest impedes on the rights of others. As well as, we require all people on campus to establish themselves upon request by campus directors or Campus Security. That is crucial for the protection of our group, particularly when these people are masked.”
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