By Rami Mansi
On July 31, over 100 people gathered outside the West Quad gates at Brooklyn College (BC) to protest the termination and non-reappointment of four adjunct professors.
Organized by the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY (PSC CUNY), the protest featured over 10 speakers, including Brooklyn College Professors, CUNY allies, and one of the four professors fired, also known as the “Fired Four”. The event lasted approximately two hours, from 4 pm to 6 pm.
These firings come after the Pro-Palestine Demonstration on May 8, where law enforcement officials entered BC premises, disrupting encampments, and arresting multiple demonstrators.
The exact reason for the firings was not confirmed to any of the Fired Four.
“[The Fired Four] had already been approved by their departments and recommended to teach fall classes. They had actually been assigned to fall classes already, and the administration decided to dismiss them without telling them why [they were dismissed],” stated Joseph Entin, one of the two Co-Chairs of the BC chapter of the PSC CUNY, the second co-chair being Mobina Hashmi, a BC Professor.
As stated in the official Media Advisory from PSC CUNY, “In each case [of the firings], the appointments committee and department chair had approved the instructor’s reappointments […] What the four have in common is their public advocacy for Palestinian rights.”
Starting in front of the West Quad gates, heavy rainfall prompted attendees to move to the next block over to Midwood High School, where construction scaffolding provided cover from the potentially hazardous rainfall.
Calling for the reinstatement of the Fired Four, many demonstrators voiced their support for Palestine and their stance against the rising McCarthyism in their speeches and posters. McCarthyism is defined as making unfair and unsupported accusations, stemming from the 1950s Red Scare. McCarthyism, in its original stance against communism, has since been dissolved in popularity; however, unsubstantiated allegations and punishments against left-wing activists have been on a steady rise since President Trump’s inauguration..
One of the Fired Four, Corinna Mullin, an Adjunct Professor who has held positions at BC and the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, decided to go public with her name and speak at the demonstration.
“The genocide only continues to get worse. In the face of brutal injustice, faculty worldwide have taken a stand for justice.” Stated by Mullin in her speech, dedicating most of her time to speaking on the ongoing Israeli-Palestine Conflict.
Other speakers included PSC President James Davis; Yeshiva University’s Professor Emerita of History Ellen Schrecker, and BC Distinguished Professor of Political Science Jeanne Theoharis, among others.
With students from Hunter College, CUNY allies, and other supporters in attendance, this demonstration was fueled by students and faculty seeking to make a change in their academic community.
In a joint statement from the demonstration’s official news release, Hashmi and Entin share the following message: “As faculty and staff, we will stand together to defend our colleagues and the integrity of our beloved CUNY.”
For more information on PSC, visit their official website.
The reinstatement of the Fired Four is an ongoing story. The Vanguard will update as this unfolds.