PRESS STATEMENT: CAIR-Chicago Condemns School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Suspension of Professor Over Palestine-Related Course Material
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(CHICAGO, IL, 6/8/2026) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the wrongful suspension of professor Savneet Talwar from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After assigning a case study that briefly referenced a hypothetical Muslim woman who personally resonates with Palestine protests, Talwar was investigated and suspended amid allegations that the assignment contributed to an antisemitic or hostile environment.
The material, which was educational in nature, focused on a hypothetical client's cultural background and personal experiences, with only a brief mention of Palestine among several other aspects of the case. School officials said the complaint was reviewed in the context of previous allegations involving the department and the same student. The case has since become part of a broader debate over academic freedom and the limits of which discussions of Israel and Palestine are appropriate in higher education.
In a statement, Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, said:
“The weaponization of antisemitism allegations against educators and students who speak up for Palestinian human rights is one of the most troubling threats to academic freedom today. Punishing a professor for including a Palestinian perspective in course material sends a chilling message that some identities and experiences are unacceptable in the classroom. We support Professor Talwar and all those facing retaliation for advocating for Palestinian human rights, stand against Israel’s genocide, and engage in legitimate academic inquiry.”
Rima Kapitan, attorney on Talwar’s case, said:
“Are SAIC faculty expected to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their course materials? Are Arab Muslims unworthy of their own case studies? If a white supremacist student filed a discrimination complaint with the University alleging that he was triggered by a case study about a Black client who was struggling with police violence against Black people, would SAIC proceed with an investigation against the professor who drafted the assignment?”
CAIR-Chicago stands in solidarity with Professor Talwar, students, activists, and educators who have been wrongfully accused of antisemitism for speaking out against the killing of civilians, advocating for Palestinian human rights, or engaging in legitimate academic and political expression. We urge the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to rescind all punitive measures against Professor Talwar and recommit itself to protecting academic freedom, intellectual integrity, and the free exchange of ideas.
CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
CONTACT: Rima Kapitan, Esq., Kapitan Gomaa Law, P.C., rima@kapitangomaa.com; Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Director of CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com