NOVEMBER 23 • 2023 | 31
J
N

a statement that reiterated 
the earlier institutional stance 
of not taking positions on 
“… political causes, conflicts 
or events. Our practice is to 
keep the common, shared 
areas of our campus free of 
messaging or activities, as 
displays of this nature could 
be interpreted as political 
statements made on behalf of 
Cranbrook …

 “
As a private institution, it 
is our responsibility — rather, 
our obligation — to ensure 
that our campus is as safe and 
welcoming as possible to our 
many diverse audiences.
“While Cranbrook provides 
all of our community mem-
bers with opportunities to 
express themselves in a vari-
ety of ways, they must do so 
in a manner that is respectful 
so that all those who set foot 
on our campus feel safe, wel-
come and valued. We will not 
tolerate activities or language 
that disrupts our campus, 
threatens the safety of our 

community, or that violates 
policies or the code of con-
duct that governs student and 
community behavior.

 “Our commitment 
remains — as it always has — 
on the safety and well-being 
of our entire campus, and 
we are in continued dialogue 
with our community to 
maintain this commitment.”

COMMUNITY RESPONSE
A local alumnus of 
Cranbrook’s K-12 schools, 
Adam Bleznak, was con-
cerned about the “accusatory 
and exclusionary” tone of 
the student/alumni letter to 
Cranbrook Academy admin-
istration. 
 “In keeping with 
Cranbrook tradition, I want-
ed to try to create a bridge, to 
find commonalities and cre-
ate conversations,” he said. 
Bleznak posted a petition 
titled “In Pursuit of Peace 
and Mutual Prosperity: A 
Response from Cranbrook’s 

Zionist Community” on 
change.org. Since its posting 
on Nov. 8, 325 individuals 
have signed it. 
Signing the protest let-
ter has had negative career 
repercussions for at least 
one individual. David Klein, 
owner of the David Klein 
Gallery with locations in 
Birmingham and Detroit, 
has severed its business 
relationship ties with a 
Cranbrook Academy gradu-
ate who signed the letter. 
“I am deeply saddened 
whenever innocent lives 
are lost,” Klein stated. 
“Moreover, as a gallery 
owner representing a diverse 
group of artists, I advocate 
and fully support free speech 
and artistic expression. 
However, the letter is about 
much more than free speech. 
I cannot represent artists 
who sign on to a letter whose 
rhetoric is vehemently antise-
mitic and denies Israel’s right 
to exist.” 

T
he protest letter sent by Cranbrook Art 
Academy students and alumni claims 
that removal of the Palestinian 
flags violates their free speech 
rights: “Supporting marginalized 
communities and standing in sol-
idarity with liberation movements 
are fundamental to our rights to 
speech, expression and creativi-
ty,” the student body letter states. 
“The current stance taken by 
the Academy infringes on these 
rights, which are pivotal to academ-
ic freedom and resonate with the broader 
global community.”
However, first amendment rights 
are not unlimited. According to Robert 
Sedler, professor emeritus at Wayne 
State University Law School who is 
a constitutional law expert, there are 
“reasonable time, place and manner lim-
itations on free speech” as determined 
through case law over the years. (The 

first amendment to the U.S. Constitution, 
reprinted on facing page, was intend-
ed to protect government from 
restricting speech by the people.)
“A private school is not subject 
to the first amendment, and a 
school can impose restrictions as 
they affect the school. Targeting 
and harassment are not protected 
speech,” Sedler explains. 
As an example, he says that 
free speech rights do not permit 
an individual holding a flag to 
confront and intimidate another person 
“one on one.”
Sedler points out that a school can’t 
discriminate against students based 
on their ethnic or religious origin. 
According to Sedler, the U.S. “protects 
offensive speech more than any other 
country,” noting that Canada, Germany 
and other countries prohibit pro-Nazi 
public speech in contrast to the U.S. 

Robert Sedler

The Free Speech Issue

Fight Campus 
Antisemitism 
with a New Legal 
Protection Helpline

ADL, Hillel International, 
the Louis D. Brandeis 
Center for Human Rights 
Under Law and Gibson, 
Dunn & Crutcher LLP have 
announced the Campus 
Antisemitism Legal Line 
(CALL), a free legal protec-
tion helpline for students 
who have experienced 
antisemitism. 
With antisemitism on 
campus reaching all-time 
highs since Oct. 7, this new 
resource comes at a criti-
cal moment for the Jewish 
community as incidents of 
harassment, vandalism and 
assault have increased by 388 
percent over the same period 
last year.
“No longer will anyone 
be able to harass Jewish stu-
dents with impunity, and no 
longer will a university or 
school be able to just look the 
other way,” said ADL CEO 
Jonathan Greenblatt.
Any student, family, fac-
ulty or staff member can 
go to the CALL website or 
text “CALLhelp” to 51555 to 
report incidents of antisemit-
ic discrimination, intimida-
tion, harassment, vandalism 
or violence that may necessi-
tate legal action. Lawyers will 
assess reports of antisemitic 
discrimination and hate, 
conduct in-depth informa-
tion-gathering interviews and 
provide pro bono representa-
tion for victims who choose 
to move forward with specif-
ic cases. 
CALL will also provide 
referrals to social services, 
mental health counseling ser-
vices and other relevant sup-
port services in their area.