In a recent development that sees politics intersect with academia, Arizona State Representative Matt Gress has requested Arizona State University (ASU) to assess the conduct of Associate Professor Khaled Beydoun, following his controversial comments at a rally in Australia. Gress's demand came after Beydoun purportedly celebrated the violent acts by Hamas against Israel, referring to the deadly attacks that killed some 1,200 people as a "good day." The comments, made during the first anniversary of the attacks, drew heavy criticism, and the professor's visa was subsequently revoked by Australian authorities, as reported by the Arizona House of Representatives.
According to a letter released on October 17 by Representative Gress, and hosted on the official website of the Arizona Legislature, the representative highlighted concerns regarding whether Beydoun’s rhetoric was compatible with the values upheld by the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at ASU. Gress cited a previous incident wherein Beydoun was accused of disseminating false narratives on social media, questioning, if an investigation into those allegations had taken place, and the outcomes thereof.
"ASU must uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity among its faculty. His comments condoning acts of terror clearly violate those standards, and the university should hold him accountable," said Representative Gress. The letter addressed to Dean Leeds expresses apprehension that Professor Beydoun's public stance could be detrimental to the university's reputation and potentially influence his students adversely.
