SAIC Professor Suspended Over Assignment Referencing Palestine

In April 2026, Savneet Talwar, a tenured professor in the art-therapy and counseling program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), was placed on paid leave and barred from teaching after a student complained about a case-study assignment that mentioned “violence against Palestinian civilians.” The two-page assignment asked students to develop an ethical treatment plan for a hypothetical queer, Muslim woman in the United States and included the line that protests supporting Palestine “resonated with her on a personal level.” The school removed the assignment from its online platform, cancelled the class, and issued a letter warning that the assignment could constitute “discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation.”

The Guardian

The incident occurred amid ongoing investigations into alleged antisemitism within the same department. In late 2023, an Israeli student sued SAIC over an assignment that required review of children’s drawings depicting Israeli-soldier violence against Palestinians. Faculty had previously undergone anti-bias training, and the department had been described as having a “hostile environment” in multiple complaints.

The Guardian

• Savneet Talwar – Tenured professor of art therapy, SAIC.

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• Rima Kapitan – Attorney representing Talwar.

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• SAIC Administration – Dean, provost, and spokesperson who issued letters and declined comment on personnel matters.

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• Unnamed student – Filed the complaint that triggered the suspension; the student could not be reached for comment.

The Guardian

SAIC’s spokesperson emphasized the institution’s commitment to “learning environments in which ideas are freely exchanged and students and faculty are welcomed, respected, and valued.” A dean’s letter cited “multiple, prior complaints alleging the creation of a hostile environment” and questioned Talwar’s judgment in assigning material that referenced Palestine. The administration warned that the assignment might violate anti-discrimination policies but did not provide a detailed theory of discrimination.

The Guardian

Talwar described the suspension as “political pressure” and argued that the action itself could be discriminatory. Her attorney, Kapitan, contended that the school “doesn’t even have a clear ‘theory of discrimination’” and suggested that the response reflects an expectation that faculty “ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their course materials.” Talwar also questioned whether comparable complaints involving other marginalized groups would receive the same scrutiny.

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• “Talwar told the Guardian in an exclusive interview that she was “stunned” by a suspension that appeared to be motivated by “the mere mention of the word Palestine”.” — Savneet Talwar, Professor, SAIC

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• “We call it the ‘P-word’ now,” — Savneet Talwar, Professor, SAIC

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• “There is no tolerance for the very word.” — Savneet Talwar, Professor, SAIC

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• “Are SAIC faculty expected to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their course materials? Are Arab Muslims unworthy of their own case studies?” — Rima Kapitan, Attorney for Talwar

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• “If a white supremacist student filed a discrimination complaint with the University alleging that he was triggered by a case study about a Black client who was struggling with police violence against Black people, would SAIC proceed with an investigation against the professor who drafted the assignment?” — Rima Kapitan, Attorney for Talwar

The Guardian

The student who lodged the complaint was unreachable, leaving the specific grievance unverified. SAIC’s letters cite potential discrimination, yet Talwar maintains the assignment was academically focused and did not mention Israel. The precise nature of the “multiple, prior complaints” and the details of the 2023 lawsuit remain undisclosed.

The Guardian

Talwar plans to file a formal employment discrimination complaint against SAIC. The school has indicated that its investigation will continue, while broader debates about academic freedom and political pressure on U.S. campuses persist.

The Guardian