USC nixes Muslim student's graduation speech
Safety concerns cited in blocking valedictorian, who shares a pro-Palestinian point of view
USC administrators have banned the university's Class of 2024 valedictorian, who is Muslim and South Asian, from speaking at its May 10 commencement, citing safety concerns over her pro-Palestinian views that some have criticized as antisemitic.
Asna Tabassum, a Chino Hills resident who graduated in 2020 from Ayala High School, reacted harshly to the decision, saying she was both shocked and “profoundly disappointed that the university is succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.”
In a statement, Tabassum said she was “not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university — my home for four years — has abandoned me.”
In a message to the university community Monday, however, USC Provost Andrew Guzman said “discussion relating to the selection of our valedictorian has taken on an alarming tenor” in the past several days.
“The intensity of feelings, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement,” Guzman wrote. “We cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence at other campuses. … As always,
Asna Tabassum, USC's class of 2024valedictorian and a first-generation South Asian American Muslim, was previously announced as the school's valedictorian, slated to give a speech at its May 10 commencement. But on Monday, officials backtracked the decision, citing safety issues after pro-Israel groups expressed concerns over Tabassum's alleged antisemitic views.