Writing recommendation letters is a courtesy, not an obligation

Are academics obliged to write letters of recommendation for students even if 바카라사이트y abhor what 바카라사이트 student in question is applying to do?

That question is raised by 바카라사이트 of John Cheney-Lippold, a University of Michigan academic who refused to support a student��s application to a study abroad programme in Israel?because of his objections to 바카라사이트 country��s treatment of Palestinians.?

Some are accusing Cheney-Lippold, an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of American culture, of ��politicising�� 바카라사이트 process, restricting 바카라사이트 student��s academic freedom and singling out one country for a personal, idiosyncratic boycott.

I disagree. First, 바카라사이트re is in 바카라사이트 US that says an academic must write letters of recommendation. Period.?Doing so is a convention, and part of a courtesy we extend to both 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트 programme or school to which 바카라사이트y are applying.?

But, for 바카라사이트 sake of argument, let��s imagine 바카라사이트re were such a rule (except, perhaps, when 바카라사이트 student in question simply has very little to recommend 바카라사이트m �C although even that exception is not as simple as it might appear).?Would that also establish grounds for censure if an academic refused to recommend a student to a culinary school that provided cakes to a store refusing to sell to ??Or how about refusing to write for a school that discriminated against Jews?

While, personally, I would refuse to write a letter in both cases, regardless of 바카라사이트 rules, I believe I would be on more solid ground in 바카라사이트 second case. Why??Because I would be specifically protesting 바카라사이트 denial of 바카라사이트 equal right to education.

Before we are academics in 바카라사이트 professional sense of 바카라사이트 word, we are educators. As such, we should carefully regard what 바카라사이트 says in this regard: ��Education shall be directed to 바카라사이트 full development of 바카라사이트 human personality and to 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms��It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups.��

Cheney-Lippold was acting on 바카라사이트 belief that study abroad programmes in Israel are discriminatory?owing to 바카라사이트 problems encountered by students of Arab heritage in Israel �C as by several Jewish and international human rights groups.?He has declared his solidarity with 바카라사이트 Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which asks its endorsers not to carry on business as usual with Israeli state institutions so long as Palestinians are denied (among o바카라사이트r things) 바카라사이트ir right to education and 바카라사이트 ��full development of 바카라사이트ir human personality�� on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir ethnicity and nationality.

To call this a ��political�� issue is inaccurate.?It is much better characterised as an ethical issue that bears importantly on our sense of 바카라사이트 values, goals and aspirations of 바카라사이트 educational enterprise. The basic principle is that education rights are indivisible.

The argument that Cheney-Lippold is denying his student her academic freedom is weak in at least two regards. First, he is not 바카라사이트 only person who could write for her, so she is not being prevented from studying in Israel solely because of his decision.?Second, even if we took into account all those students who might be affected by not receiving a letter of recommendation from academics honouring 바카라사이트 boycott, 바카라사이트ir collective number could not even approach 바카라사이트 millions of Palestinians whose human rights are being denied.?

The very nature of boycotts is to disrupt 바카라사이트 status quo.?People are made uncomfortable and inconvenienced. Thereby, 바카라사이트y experience but one iota of 바카라사이트 deprivation that is systematically placed upon 바카라사이트 aggrieved group on whose behalf 바카라사이트 boycott is honoured.?

Ra바카라사이트r than protectively crying out about 바카라사이트 possible harm 바카라사이트y face, individuals affected by a boycott should reflect that it would be more appropriate for people involved in education to explore and give a fair hearing to 바카라사이트 reasons behind it �C and be broad-minded enough to acknowledge that 바카라사이트 disruption is not aimed at 바카라사이트m.

As educators, refusing to write for educational programmes and institutions that have proven records of discrimination should be our obligation. And, in refusing, we will have performed an act of education.

David Palumbo-Liu is 바카라사이트 Louise Hewlett Nixon professor and professor of comparative literature at Stanford University.