UC Berkeley suspends lecturer over pro-Palestine remarks

UC Berkeley has suspended a computer science lecturer for six months without pay over pro-Palestinian remarks made in the classroom, drawing criticism from faculty advocates and student groups.

What happened: The suspension, first reported by the Daily Californian, follows a recommendation from Executive Vice Chancellor Benjamin Hermalin, who found that Peyrin Kao, 26, had violated university policy prohibiting use of the classroom for “political indoctrination.” Hermalin cited two incidents, including post-lecture remarks on April 26, 2024, when Kao discussed technology ethics using Google’s Israeli military collaboration as an example and expressed Palestine solidarity after dismissing his CS 61B class, and Kao’s 38-day hunger strike this fall protesting technology’s role in Gaza.

Kao, for his part, disputed the allegations, arguing his April remarks were pedagogically relevant and that his hunger strike occurred outside class. Speaking to KQED, he criticized his suspension as being part of the “Palestine exception,” in which universities single out pro-Palestine support for punishment. “The university loves to talk about how they are ‘the free speech university,’ ‘the home of the free speech movement,’ … but when it comes to Palestine: ‘Sorry, we’re drawing the line, your free speech does not apply,’” he told the outlet.

What this means: Kao’s case reflects a broader pattern affecting faculty of color who advocate for Palestine under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, Rupa Marya, an Indian American academic physician at UC San Francisco, was fired after 22 years for social media posts criticizing Zionist ideology as “supremacist and racist” and questioning how such beliefs affect patient care. If the “Palestine exception” holds true, it is an uneven enforcement that disproportionately impacts faculty of color who challenge institutional ties to Israel’s war in Gaza.

Latest developments: Kao on Thursday questioned the timing between his name appearing on a list of 160 staff members that UC Berkeley turned over to the Trump administration in September and his suspension proceedings beginning in October. So far, a fundraiser for his $68,059 in lost salary and benefits has raised over $18,000, with 90% designated for Gaza mutual aid.

Kao’s suspension takes effect Jan. 1.