A congressional committee recently sent a letter to Pomona College requesting detailed, unredacted information about disciplinary actions taken against students who were exercising their 1st Amendment rights in support of Palestine.

The request would lead to the release of student names as well as other sensitive information. Handing over student’s names and records violates their state and federal privacy rights. It also puts these young people at significant personal risk. 

Concern for these students is heightened by the inflammatory language used in the congressional letter; it implicitly, and falsely, connects all students who participated in free speech actions with vandalism and alleged anti-semitic activity.

Pomona College was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as promising to “fully cooperate” with the inquiry. Barnard College, Bowdoin College, Northwestern University, and Sarah Lawrence College reportedly also received letters. 

Please help us ensure Pomona and other colleges protect student privacy. Take a moment to sign and share this petition. Pomona was given until April 10th to comply. Our goal is to have 10,000 signatures by April 5th.