The University of California, Berkeley is under fire from faculty, students, and campus groups after suspending computer science lecturer Peyrin Kao without pay for the spring 2026 semester for allegedly violating university policy by engaging in political advocacy in the classroom. The suspension follows Kao’s well-publicized 38-day hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, a protest that drew national attention and raised questions about academic freedom.
Berkeley administrators say Kao violated University of California Regents Policy 2301, which prohibits use of classroom time for political indoctrination or advocacy unrelated to academic subject matter. A December 19 letter from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Benjamin Hermalin asserts that Kao’s remarks to students and even the “visible physical toll” of his hunger strike constituted political expression that crossed the line of permitted classroom conduct.
Critics on campus disagree with the administration’s interpretation. The Berkeley Faculty Association, representing a segment of the faculty, called the suspension a threat to political freedom and suggested the action was tied to Kao’s pro-Palestinian stance rather than a neutral application of policy. They argued the case reflects what they describe as a “Palestine exception” to free speech enforcement — a claim that the university is selectively disciplining speech about a particular geopolitical issue.
Student group STEM4Palestine, which Kao helped found, collected more than 1,400 petition signatures demanding his reinstatement and taped the petition outside the chancellor’s office after being barred from delivering it in person. Union representatives from the University Council–American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) filed a grievance asserting Berkeley lacked “just cause” for the suspension.
Supporters of Kao highlight his high student ratings and argue that his hunger strike and political comments were expressions of personal conscience and free speech, not academic misconduct. Editorials in student media have sharply criticized Berkeley’s decision as an overreach and an attempt to suppress pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
Administrators have acknowledged ongoing debates over academic freedom and plan meetings of the Academic Senate’s Committee on Academic Freedom and the Task Force on Free Speech and Campus Climate in early 2026 to address broader concerns.
