Astronomy 101: First Assignment for Columbia Course Turns Its Telescope to the ‘Genocide’ Unfolding in Gaza

Before astronomy students at Columbia University can learn about about the sun, moon, and stars, they’ll have to take a refresher on … the “genocide” at Gaza?That’s the message from an undergraduate astronomy lab assignment that was written by the class’s teaching assistant, Stephen Coffey, a second-year PhD student, and handed out during the first day of the lab course. “I was completely thrown for a loop. I thought I was hallucinating for a second,” a Jewish student at Barnard, Sophie Kasson, who is enrolled in the lab session, tells the Sun. On second thought, she adds: “It’s Columbia after all. I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised.” Ms. Kasson and the other students attending the laboratory session began their studies with Unit 1, which covers “Astronomy in Palestine,” according to a screenshot of the syllabus which has been reviewed by the Sun. “Throughout this course we will be doing some cool observing,” the unit reads. “And while this is really exciting, it is important for us to understand the privileges we have to be able to even do astronomy without worrying about being caught in an airstrike. And as we watch genocide unfold in Gaza, it is also important to the tell the story of Palestinians outside of being the subjects of a military occupation.” The teaching assistant instructs the students to read through two articles: “Wonder and the Life of Palestinian Astronomy” and “In Gaza, Scanning the Sky for Stars, Not Drones.” Mr. Coffey adds: “Remind yourself that our dreams, our wonders, our aspirations … are not any more worthy.” The assignment went viral online and a Columbia watchdog group, Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus at Columbia, jumped on the case. The group quickly found the teaching assistant’s social media accounts, in which he includes in his bio an inverted red triangle, a symbol of violence against Israelis in the name of Palestinian resistance. The content of the accounts, however, are private.Soon after, the university released a statement condemning the graduate student for violating school policy by inserting “political views” in the lab notes. “We regret that this unacceptable breach of policy took place and apologize to the students enrolled in the class,” the school wrote, noting that the violation was being “addressed” and that the school was implementing “additional review procedures.”The swift response was commended by the university’s Jewish community. One Jewish student, Eliana Goldin, cited the school’s statement as an indication that there was “hope” for Columbia and added her view that “It seems to me that things are improving.” Another Jewish undergraduate, Elisha Baker, called the update “good,” noting that “Assuming the TA is disciplined, this is exactly what should happen in these situations.” Ms. Kasson similarly praised Columbia’s response, but said she and other Jewish students in the class are still concerned that the teacher’s assistant might retaliate against them for being openly Jewish and Zionist. “I’m going to have to email him about missing class for Passover and I know I’m going to be a little worried about it. It’s sad,” Ms. Kasson tells the Sun, noting that she frets that Mr. Coffey could grade her unfairly. Ms. Kasson, though only a sophomore, is no stranger to professors with anti-Israel biases. Last spring she was enrolled in a Palestinian and Israeli politics class taught by Columbia professor Joseph Massad, who drew controversy for calling Hamas’s October 7 massacre “awesome.” She dropped that class after the first session, she tells the Sun. Columbia’s statement comes as the school has been ramping up in its response to anti-Israel conduct that violates the university’s policies. Just this week, the school, in unusually swift fashion, suspended one Columbia student who was involved in interrupting a class on modern Israeli history. Columbia also barred from campus two other participating protesters who are students at one of Columbia’s affiliate universities.

Astronomy 101: First Assignment for Columbia Course Turns Its Telescope to the ‘Genocide’ Unfolding in Gaza

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