Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee sharply criticized prestigious American universities, condemning what he termed as their tolerance of anti-Israel protests, while urging parents to withdraw their children from antisemitic colleges.
Speaking to Newsmax on Tuesday, Huckabee urged parents to withdraw their children from institutions such as Columbia University, NYU, and Yale, accusing them of fostering a culture of hooliganism and ignorance.
"If I were a parent, I'd tell my kid to pack your bags. Get on the next flight home. You're not spending another night at Columbia University, NYU. You're not gonna be at Yale. I'm not spending $90,000 a year for you to learn how to be a hooligan," he said on the "The Chris Salcedo Show."
Huckabee's comments coincide with recent disruptions on college campuses. Columbia University canceled in-person classes, while dozens were arrested at New York University and Yale University amid protests. At Harvard, access to the campus was restricted in response to mounting tensions.
"Even though they may be in a prestigious and elitist school, they clearly are not getting a very good education because if they were, they would understand you would never say 'I'm with Hamas,'" he added.
Citing the high tuition costs, Huckabee criticized parents for financing an environment he described as detrimental to academic growth.
"I'm not spending $90,000 a year," he said. "You can come home, and I'll teach you for a whole lot less than that … and I don't understand why in the world parents are putting up with it. They ought to yank their kids out of that school, and if they leave them there, they deserve what they're going to get."
Huckabee stressed that while the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech, it does not permit individuals to silence others. He highlighted the distinction between the freedom to protest and the infringement on others' ability to express themselves freely.
"The First Amendment clearly says that you have a right to free speech, but you don't have a right to keep other people from having speech," Huckabee said. "You have a right to protest, but you don't have a right to shut down the free movement of other people."
Proposing drastic measures to address what he perceived as a lack of appreciation for American democratic freedoms among students, Huckabee suggested sending them abroad to regions affected by the conflict.
"A lot of these students ought to be involuntarily placed in a foreign study program," he suggested. "Load them up on a charter plane and fly them over to Gaza."
He added, "By the way, be sure and take your rainbow flags, and girls, pack your bikinis, because we want you to experience this world that you are championing, and when you get over there, you can live in that culture for a while. Be sure to write to us, maybe post on social media. If they let you, tell us all about what a wonderful place it is and remind us how horrible America is. We'd love to hear from you."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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