Woke universities which permit disruptive protests could be required to publish their policies following anti-Israel demonstrations across the country in recent months.
House Republicans are pushing the bill titled the No Tax Dollars For College Encampments Act amid thousands of arrests of pro-Palestinian students earlier this year. The bill, led by Rep. Jim Banks and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, targets universities which receive federal funding.
Should the bill become law, such colleges will be required to be more transparent about their protest policies and report campus crime statistics.
The bill has been supported by eight House Republicans so far as well as conservative groups such as Parents Defending Education Action. If adopted, it would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 which aims to address reporting of campus protests.
Following Hamas’ terror attacks against Israeli civilians last October, student activists across the country held encampment protests prompting ugly scenes and more than 3,100 arrests.
In a statement to Fox News, Rep. Banks said the legislation would hold “woke universities accountable” and ensure protest rules are enforced “fairly and equally”.
Reaction from social media users was mixed, with some calling for tougher sanctions.
Others were more skeptical over the bill’s likely impact, with one user commenting that it was likely to “stir the pot” even more.
One commenter described the issue as “really chronic”, stating that some university professors had a role to play.
What’s your view? Is tougher action on our universities needed? Let us know in the comments below.
