After weeks of peaceful demonstration by students in the College of Education at the University of Arizona, the professors Rebecca Zapien and Becca Lopez are allowed back to work. They were placed on administrative leave after a class discussion about the Israel-Hamas war was deemed anti-semetic as a recording of the class circulated on social media.
Samantha Paredes, a student in the College of Education, said the recording was heavily edited.
“These recordings were clipped and things were taken out,” she said. “It was not a full reflection of the conversation.”
Paredes, along with other students and faculty, held a sit in for the last few weeks and had many conversations with administration about their demands. She said their demands consist of the reinstatement and job security of the professors, as well as rules about recording in classrooms.
“The goal is to support them [students] and keep them safe that they don’t have to fear speaking their minds in class,” she said.
The university released a statement that said the head of the department will finish teaching this semester. It also said the school will be hosting discussions about how to teach sensitive topics called “Educational Dialogues”. The professors are on the list to teach next semester.