The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is facing criticism over a report that says colleges and universities have unfairly restricted pro-Palestinian speech, with some advocates arguing that protecting free expression must also include protecting Jewish students from harassment and discrimination.

Released on Sept. 23 in partnership with Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), the report, titled "Student Speech Under Attack: Suppression of Pro-Palestine Speech and Dissent on Campus," examines how universities have responded to student protests and other forms of support for Palestinian rights since late 2023.

The report draws on a two-year investigation covering 80 colleges and universities across 28 states and the District of Columbia. It reviews campus policies, court records, survey responses, news reports and six case studies to examine how schools and government officials have handled protests related to the war in Gaza.

The ACLU argues that students and faculty members have faced suspensions, expulsions, restrictions on demonstrations and increased surveillance because of their political views. It also claims that pressure from the federal government, including threats to cut funding, has pushed universities to limit speech critical of Israel.

However, critics say the report does not give enough attention to the experiences of Jewish and Israeli students who report antisemitism and discrimination on campus. They argue that universities must protect students from harassment while allowing open debate about Israel, Palestine and the war in Gaza.

Oleg Ivanov, executive director of StandWithUs Northern California, told The College Fix that free speech and protecting Jewish students should not be treated as opposing goals.

"Free speech and protecting Jewish students from discrimination are not competing values," Ivanov said. "Universities have an obligation to uphold both."

The disagreement highlights a major question facing American colleges: how to protect political expression without allowing threats, harassment or discrimination against students because of their identity.

Pro-Israel advocates argue that the report conflates protected political speech with unlawful harassment and targeted discrimination...https://t.co/wbES64ydZb

The ACLU says university responses to pro-Palestinian protests have often been more severe than their responses to other demonstrations in the past. According to the report, some schools introduced broad limits on student speech and punished protesters with suspensions or expulsions.