How Colleges Can Prepare for a Chaotic Fall - Commentary

Eboo Patel,  founder and president of Interfaith America, author of We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy, and host of the “Interfaith America with Eboo Patel” podcast, writes:  I hate to say it, but the fall term may be even more disruptive on college campuses than this disastrous past spring. Hostilities between Israel and Hamas could extend beyond the summer and spread to include Hezbollah — or, God forbid, a direct conflict with Iran. That will add fuel to the calls for disclosure and divestment that led to the pro-Palestinian encampments on dozens of campuses. And even if the hot conflict has ended, there will surely be those who use disruptive means, like deplatforming speakers and shouting down college officials, to call into question the relationship between their college and Israel. But progressives may not be the only ones disrupting campuses in the fall. Conservative groups have surely taken notes on the tactics used by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.