Hundreds Demand Reinstatement of SAIC Professor Savneet Talwar
The graduate art therapy professor was placed on leave last semester after she assigned her class a case study that mentioned violence against Palestinians.
As the fall semester looms, a growing chorus of over 400 individuals affiliated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is advocating for the return of Savneet Talwar, a professor whose tenure has come under scrutiny. Last spring, Talwar was abruptly placed on leave following a complaint lodged by a student over a hypothetical case study she included in her class, which touched upon violence against Palestinian civilians.
The controversy escalated when Talwar received a letter from the administration in April, citing a student's allegation of discrimination against her. The school initiated an investigation into the matter, leading to Talwar's suspension. However, a petition released on July 20 by SAIC performance alumni Mary Zerkel and Michael Thomas, along with artist and alum Dread Scott, is challenging the decision.
The petition asserts that Talwar should not be subjected to suspension and investigation for incorporating Palestinians into a case study for an art therapy class. The petition emphasizes, "Palestinians are real people and violence against Palestinians is a fact."
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