On Feb. 28, students at the School of Public Health delivered an open letter to the school鈥檚 Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The called on the SPH to speak out about 鈥渢he genocide and public health disaster in Palestine.鈥�
Written by three members of 鈥� a collective of 10 SPH-affiliated members 鈥� and signed by 107 students, alumni, faculty and staff, the letter is addressed to Dean Ashish Jha, the school鈥檚 DEI office and the SPH as a whole.
The letter asks that the SPH 鈥渁cknowledge the ongoing genocide and public health crisis in Gaza,鈥� call for a ceasefire in the region and formally support a divestment proposal 鈥渇rom companies that fund and profit off of public health destruction in Palestine.鈥� It also asks SPH administrators to ensure the prevention of 鈥渃ensorship and intimidation鈥� against school members who 鈥渟peak up for Palestinian human rights.鈥�
Brown will 鈥渞eview the inquiry and respond directly鈥� to the signatories, University Spokesperson Brian Clark wrote in an email to The Herald. Clark emphasized that the University does not 鈥渨ork through the news media to address community concerns 鈥� rather, we value direct engagement with community members and our response will come first directly to those who were in touch.鈥�
Anna Utrata GS, an organizer for SPH for Palestine and one of the letter鈥檚 authors, said she hopes the letter convinces the school to frame the 鈥渃atastrophic losses鈥� in Gaza as a 鈥渉uge public health crisis,鈥� pointing to starvation, aid blockades and killings of health care professionals and high maternal mortality rates as examples.
According to Nour Abaherah GS, another author and an organizer for SPH for Palestine, students wrote the letter because they felt the university had a responsibility to speak about 鈥減ublic health crises and catastrophes that are happening,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the school remained silent.鈥�
On Feb. 22, Jha responded to an email 鈥嬧�婾trata, Abaherah and Aleksa Kaye GS 鈥� another organizer for SPH for Palestine 鈥� sent to him privately on Jan. 20, which had asked the SPH to 鈥渃onsider issuing a statement and expressing solidarity with those affected by the public health crisis in Palestine,鈥� according to records reviewed by The Herald.
In an email response reviewed by The Herald, Jha wrote that 鈥渋t is not uncommon during moments of such suffering around the world to hear from our community requesting public statements.鈥�
鈥淭hese are very difficult times for public health,鈥� he added.鈥淪eeing the health system in Gaza in disarray is particularly difficult.鈥�
鈥淚 continue to promote open and respectful dialogue, support of all affected members of our community and a clear stand against discrimination and harassment of any kind,鈥� Jha wrote, adding that 鈥渨e will need to continue to bring our expertise 鈥� in public health science 鈥� to bear on the critical mission of strengthening public health.鈥�
Jha pointed to the University鈥檚 upcoming events this semester, such as 鈥渁 series of conversations on the situation in the Middle East鈥� and programming about 鈥渢he health implications of conflict.鈥�
In collaboration with the Center for Middle East Studies, the SPH hosted a webinar titled 鈥淭he Impacts of War on Public Health: A look at the health disaster facing Palestinians in Gaza鈥� on Feb. 5. The event sought to 鈥渙utline the links between conflict and public health, provide context for the public health situation in Gaza and Palestine before October and hear first-hand testimony about treating patients in the Gaza Strip,鈥� according to the .
Utrata shared, in her experience, many students, faculty and staff are afraid to discuss issues surrounding Palestine. She added that she believes statements from the SPH can serve as a reassurance for students to share their opinions without fear of retaliation.
Though the SPH hasn鈥檛 issued any public statements about Gaza or Israel since Oct. 7, President Christina Paxson P鈥�19 P鈥橫D鈥�20 has made multiple statements and public remarks addressing issues including on campus and for affected students. On Feb. 5, in an announcement about the University鈥檚 initiative, Paxson reaffirmed that the University has 鈥渁n obligation to both secure the safety and well-being of all members of our community.鈥�
Abaherah and Utrata highlighted a series of letters sent in October and November by Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, which advice on how to discuss issues pertaining to Gaza and Israel, on the history of 鈥渃ompeting injustices in the Middle East鈥� and the death, displacement and 鈥渦nspeakably harsh conditions鈥� faced by people in Gaza.
鈥淭hat acknowledgment, even if it wasn鈥檛 leaning towards a Palestinian or Israeli (perspective), was just really powerful from a public health point of view 鈥� and actually, from a humanitarian point of view,鈥� Abaherah said.
Katie Jain is a University News editor from New Jersey overseeing the graduate student life beat. She is a junior concentrating in International and Public Affairs and History.
