Jewish Professor Accuses College of Becoming "Pro-Hamas Sewer" in Explosive Lawsuit
"Dr. Fiss was punished for doing her job simply and only because she is a Jew"
A tenured Jewish professor at the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco alleges in a lawsuit she was punished for expressing pro-Israel views and for refusing to conform to what she describes as her school’s “pro-Hamas orthodoxy.”
Professor Karen Fiss, who has taught fine art for more than 40 years, says that her beloved institution has devolved into what she calls a “pro-Hamas sewer that crushes academic freedom.”
In her suit, Fiss paints a damning picture of a university that has strayed far from its mission to foster intellectual and artistic growth. She argues that CCA “now enforces a singular ideological stance on issues related to Israel and the Middle East, leaving no room for debate or dissent.”
“The deliberate transformation of the CCA campus into a political battleground underscores a concerning trend,” Fiss writes in her legal complaint. “The Jewish State is consistently vilified and delegitimized, forcing members of the community to either align with the prevailing rhetoric or face ostracism.”
According to Fiss, CCA administrators have actively suppressed her ability to express her views, accusing her of misconduct for simply encouraging students to consider alternative perspectives. “CCA’s enforcement of the view that the Jewish State is genocidal and illegitimate… is a calculated assault on intellectual diversity and academic freedom,” the lawsuit claims.
Failing to comply with students’ political demands has also made her a pariah.
Among these was a demand that she pressure her congressional representatives to take action against Israel. The lawsuit states, “CCA’s internal disciplinary procedures have been weaponized to suppress any expression supportive of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State, including Dr. Fiss’s.”
Despite these alleged threats, Fiss remains employed.
On December 13, during winter break, CCA held what Fiss describes as a “kangaroo court” to address accusations of harassment brought against her by students. She was found guilty despite not being allowed to directly question her accusers or present a full defense.
One complaint stemmed from Fiss allegedly telling a student from Kuwait about her country’s history of mistreating Palestinians—something the lawsuit describes as a “factual statement” that is central to her role as an educator. “Dr. Fiss identified facts which the student did not know or acknowledge—exactly the activity which is normally considered to be the job of a college professor,” the lawsuit states.
CCA officials warned Fiss that her continued defense of Israel could cost her her job. She was told, “You must immediately cease this and similar behavior with any student or employee of the college… or risk discharge for cause.” The lawsuit argues that this warning is evidence of the school’s intent to single her out for her Jewish identity and pro-Israel stance.
“Dr. Fiss was punished for doing her job simply and only because she is a Jew committed to the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish State,” the lawsuit asserts.
Fiss’s case is being handled by attorney Lori Lowenthal Marcus of the Deborah Project, a public interest firm dedicated to defending the rights of Jewish students and faculty on college campuses. Marcus argues that Fiss’s treatment is part of a larger trend in academia, where pro-Israel voices are marginalized and silenced. The lawsuit further claims that the chilling effect on free speech at CCA undermines the very purpose of higher education.
“The students’ rejection of that advice—‘I like my echo chamber’—reflects exactly the state of mind that college is supposed to cure, and that it is the job of a college professor to address,” the lawsuit states.
While Fiss’s employment remains secure for now, her lawsuit has already sparked conversations about the state of academic freedom and the growing intolerance for dissenting views in higher education. As the case moves forward, it will shine a spotlight on the intersection of academic integrity, free speech, and the politically charged climate on American campuses and how schools are handling competing concerns and demands from Jewish, Muslim and Pro-Palestinian students.
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