The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) today commended administrators at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara for their decision to cancel Ran Bar-Yoshafat’s scheduled speaking engagement.
The decision came after students, parents, alumni, and community members raised significant concerns about the speaker’s history of violence-inciting and deeply racist statements, which posed a threat to the safety and well-being of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian students on campus.
Examples of these statements include:
- “Every school mosque, hospital, kindergarten – all – without exception – is a terror camp. There is no exception. There is not even one exception.” (Facebook Post | January 7, 2024)
- “The blood ratio is about 1:1000. Allegedly, the revenge for the massacre on us should have been 1,500,000 people. Certainly could solve the demographic problems.” (Facebook Post | January 7, 2024)
- “The truth is, Gaza’s elderly, probably 70-year-olds and children as young as 7, would happily kill us if they could.” (Facebook Post | January 7th, 2024)
- “There was never a state called Palestine. If you think there was you have been brainwashed…There never was, and I pray there will never be, a state called Palestine.” (Instagram Post | May 17, 2021)
In the last three months of 2023, CAIR-SFBA received an over 400 percent increase in reports of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian racism, manifesting as both verbal and physical attacks. In its 2023 Bullying Report, CAIR-CA found that nearly half of surveyed Muslim students reported being bullied at school and feeling unsafe, unwelcome, or uncomfortable at school because of their Muslim identity.
The proposed speech by Yoshafat, given his record of disturbing public statements, threatened to further inflame these tensions and fears, risking the creation of an unsafe environment for Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and other pro-peace students.
In a statement, the school’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) leadership said:
“While we understand the school’s policies protect freedom of expression, all speakers in the future should undergo a thorough vetting process to ensure they do not hold violent, hateful views, especially against already marginalized communities on campus—a process required by the school when the MSA invited a Palestinian-American community member to speak at an earlier event.”
CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo added:
“We commend the administrators at Wilcox High School for their proactive decision to cancel Ran Bar-Yoshafat’s speaking engagement, demonstrating a commitment to the safety and well-being of its students, including those of Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian heritage. This decision reflects an understanding of the impact that hate speech and rhetoric inciting violence can have on a school community.
“It is essential that educational institutions remain spaces where all students feel safe, supported, and respected, regardless of their background or beliefs, and can thrive, free from fear and prejudice.”
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, ladam@cair.com, 408.986.9874