A graduate student at UC Berkeley faced backlash on Wednesday after offering students extra credit to attend a walkout against Israel amid ongoing fighting with Hamas.
Photos posted to social media this week showed an email that Victoria Huynh, a graduate student at UC Berkeley's Department of Ethnic Studies, sent to her students offering a "field trip and/or extra credit opportunity."
"(1) Students can attend the national student walkout tomorrow against the settler-colonial occupation of Gaza (info attached below) OR (2) Students can watch a short documentary on Palestine and call/email your local California representative using this linktree," the email said. "Doing so will count as a field trip or an extra 5 points on the field trip category of your grade."
However, a spokesperson for UC Berkeley told Newsweek on Wednesday that the extra credit assignment was altered after school officials became aware of it.
"As soon as the administration was made aware of the assignment, it moved quickly to ensure that it would be changed. The situation has been remedied, the assignment has been changed and there are now a number of options for extra credit, not just one," the spokesperson told Newsweek.
Newsweek has reached out to Huynh via email for comment.
Earlier this month, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say his country is "at war." Since the initial attack by Hamas, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have continued launching airstrikes on parts of the Gaza Strip.
According to The Associated Press, more than 6,000 deaths have been reported by the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza and more than 1,400 Israeli residents have died amid the ongoing war.
Earlier this month, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a $100-million humanitarian aid package to the Gaza Strip and people in the West Bank, as the U.S. has continued to aid Israel in its war efforts as well.
"Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas' horrific terrorism. Civilian lives must be protected and assistance must urgently reach those in need," Biden said.
Earlier this week, the Palestinian Public Health organization at UC Berkeley shared a photo announcing the student walkout in support of Palestinian people.
"The Graduate Students for Palestine, Law Students for Justice in Palestine, Bears For Palestine, Palestinian Public Health, and Cal Muslim Student Association are heeding the national call to walk out in solidarity with Palestinians facing bombardment, genocide, and settler-colonialism," the post said.
Several social media users criticized the UC Berkeley graduate student after the email was posted online.
"Professor @victorianh at @UCBerkeley is offering extra credit for participating in the antisemitic @NationalSJP's 'walkout' tomorrow against Israel. Pro-Hamas groups at Berkeley have turned it into a breeding ground for antisemitism. Professors shouldn't be intensifying it," Israel War Room wrote on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a screenshot of the email.
Chaya Raichik, the founder of Libs of TikTok wrote, "@UCBerkeley is offering extra credit points to students for taking part in an anti-Israel protest."
X user Brian Reidl wrote "If this is real, it should be illegal at a public university. UC-Berkeley class offering students extra credit for attending political rallies and lobbying lawmakers—as long it's for pro-Palestinian causes. Not for those on the other side of this issue."
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
