University of South Florida: The ‘Heckler’s Veto’

Computer Science Professor Sami Al-Arian no longer faces termination for his alleged "disruption" of university activities, which FIRE protested through a letter from Alan Charles Kors to University of South Florida (USF) President Judy Genshaft. In the letter, Kors denounced USF's termination of Professor Al-Arian due to FIRE's belief that his firing was an example of a "heckler's veto," which the letter deemed to be the public outcry against Professor Al-Arian shortly after FoxNews television host Bill O'Reilly's implication that Professor Al-Arian was sympathetic to terrorists. While Professor Al-Arian is still terminated, USF changed the justification of his firing in August 2002 after alleging that Professor Al-Arian engaged in a pattern of sanctionable and criminal activity by aiding terrorists and financing their activities.

    Case Materials

  • "FIRE and Constitutional Rights at the University of South Florida," February 25, 2003: FIRE continues to make available on this website all of its prior communications about the Sami Al-Arian case. FIRE's statements on freedom of speech and academic freedom at the University of South Florida were and remain constitutionally and morally correct. In light of the recent indictment of Al-Arian on charges of terrorism, FIRE issues the following statement.
  • "University of South Florida Makes a U-Turn: FIRE and the Case of Sami Al-Arian," August 30, 2002: Vindicating FIRE's position, the University of South Florida (USF) has abandoned its claim that negative reactions to Professor Sami Al-Arian's otherwise protected speech constituted appropriate grounds to fire him. USF now has set forth charges of sanctionable and criminal behavior against the tenured professor of computer science, against which he now must have the opportunity to defend himself in an appropriate and impartial forum. USF now bears a substantial burden of proving the serious charges it has lodged against its faculty member.
  • "USF President's Update Regarding Dr. Sami Al-Arian," August 21, 2002
  • "Policy Statement by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education on the Intended Firing of Dr. Sami Al-Arian," February 15, 2002: In response to requests to FIRE for a fuller legal analysis of USF's stated intention to terminate Dr. Al-Arian, Co-Director Harvey Silverglate and Director of Public and Legal Advocacy Greg Lukianoff provide a study of the case in the light of the Constitution and case law.
  • "The University of South Florida Betrays the Rule of Law: The "Thug's Veto" and the Ongoing Case of Sami Al-Arian," January 29, 2002: The University of South Florida (USF) has decided to fire a tenured professor on the grounds that outside criticism of his views had created too much of a "disruption" to uphold his constitutional and moral rights of free speech and lawful political activity. Dr. Sami Al-Arian, an outspoken pro-Palestinian activist, was a guest on a cable news show where he was accused of having radical views, of having made radical statements in the past, and of having possible ties to terrorist groups. As a result of the television appearance, USF came under what it has described as intense public pressure. The University, in response, issued a notice of termination, choosing to dismiss Dr. Al-Arian, because it was too bothersome to defend his constitutional rights.
  • "FIRE Letter to USF President Judy Genshaft," January 29, 2002