CHICAGO — Savneet Talwar, a tenured professor in the art therapy and counseling program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), was suspended from teaching and placed under investigation in April. This action followed a student complaint regarding a case study assignment that mentioned violence against Palestinians.
The assignment required students to create an ethical treatment plan for a hypothetical queer Muslim woman living in the U.S. Assignment materials stated, "She felt deeply affected by the violence against Palestinian civilians and was critical of the home government's limited response." The document primarily focused on family history, relationships, and immigration status, and did not include other mentions of Palestine or Israel.
A dean contacted Talwar to inquire if she had assigned material containing the word Palestine. Following this, Talwar met with the school's provost, and her subsequent class was canceled. On April 17, school officials formally placed Talwar on paid leave, instructing her not to discuss the situation with students or colleagues. The case study was also removed from the course's online learning platform.
Talwar expressed surprise at the administrative action, stating it appeared motivated by the inclusion of the word Palestine. Talwar said, "We call it the 'P-word' now." She added, "There is no tolerance for the very word." A school official's correspondence warned that providing the assignment could constitute discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
Talwar maintains the assignment was not antisemitic or discriminatory. She plans to file an employment discrimination complaint. Attorney Rima Kapitan wrote, "Are SAIC faculty expected to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their course materials?" Kapitan also asked, "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?" Talwar declined to address allegations concerning the student, citing confidentiality requirements.
A dean questioned Talwar's judgment in a written communication, mentioning previous complaints alleging a hostile environment in the department. School officials cited additional prior interactions with the student on May 13, including an instance where Talwar described a terror attack on a beach in Australia as gun violence without addressing antisemitism. School officials also referenced an instance where Talwar suggested the student consider attending a lecture by a guest identified as a strong anti-Zionist activist.