MIT removes linguistics professor from teaching over proposed Palestine course

MIT has placed linguistics professor Michel DeGraff on paid leave from teaching after rejecting his proposed course on Palestine and Israel.

• MIT removed DeGraff from the department under the vague title "general faculty member," keeping his salary while barring him from classrooms.
• The curriculum committee rejected his proposed course "Language and Linguistics for Decolonization and Liberation," citing a lack of specialization.
• DeGraff filed a federal lawsuit accusing MIT of violating his academic freedom; MIT denied the claims, citing academic standards.
• DeGraff called the rejection "new McCarthyism" aimed at silencing voices supporting Gaza and critics of Israel.