Parents of students who attend elite U.S. universities have started contacting the schools for refunds amid the pro-Palestinian protests on campus as classes and exams have been canceled because of the chaos, reports the Wall Street Journal.
“They are not getting the education they expected and paid for,” Zev Gewurz, a lawyer whose daughter goes to Barnard College in New York City, told the news outlet.
“It’s all a giant distraction to the students who are trying to complete their studies in a high-stress environment,” Debra Lynn Eden told the Journal. Her daughter is a junior at Princeton, where 13 protesters were arrested Monday night for trespassing.
Students have rallied or set up tents at dozens of universities in recent weeks to protest Israel’s war on Gaza. Demonstrators have called on President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel’s right to defend itself, to do more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and demanded schools divest from companies that support Israel’s government.
Many of the schools, including Columbia University in New York City, have called in police to quell the protests.
Schools have amped up security and police presence on campus amid the protests. Some universities have canceled classes and finals. At the University of Southern California, officials canceled the school’s commencement ceremony, citing “new safety measures in place.”
“There will be no celebration at the university where we paid an exorbitant amount of tuition for the past four years,” Lani Shami’s mother told the Journal. “It’s a huge letdown.”
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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