ISRAEL

Over 300 academics vow to boycott new ‘ethics’ code

Over 300 academics signed a petition last weekend saying they will ignore any recommendations in the new ethics code commissioned by Education Minister Naftali Bennett, writes Yarden Skop for Haaretz.

The code is being interpreted by many as a way of controlling left-wing statements made by academics in Israel’s colleges and universities. Bennett said recently he wants special ethics rules to govern academic and political activity on campus, and asked Professor Asa Kasher to provide guidelines.

The academics’ petition states that, as faculty members, “We declare in advance that we will completely ignore the conclusions of the Kasher committee.” The petition, which was signed by a number of prominent Israeli professors, added: “The government has no authority to determine how to express oneself in academia.”
Full report on the Haaretz site