Metadata

• When: 2025-01-27

• Where: Columbia University

• Who: Stephen Coffey (Astronomy TA)

Description

On January 27th, 2025 an assignment was handed out in the Columbia University undergraduate course titled “Spring 2025 Astronomy UN1903, Lab 1.”

The assignment handout started with an irrelevant anti-Israel propaganda section called “Astronomy in Palestine” that stated:

“Throughout this course we will be doing some cool observing (hopefully). And while this is a really exciting, it is important for us to understand the privileges we have to be able to even to astronomy without worrying about being caught in an airstrike. And as we watch genocide unfold in Gaza, it is also important to tell the story of Palestinians outs of being the subjects of a military occupation. Take 15 minutes or so to read through the articles “Wonder and the Life of Palestinian Astronomy” and “In Gaza, Scanning the Sky for Stars, Not Drones”. Remind yourself that our dreams, our wonders, our aspirations…are not any more worthy.”

The handout was created by the teaching assistant graduate student Stephen Coffey.

Many students in the class complained about the unwanted and divisive propaganda and worriedly whether their grades would be affected should they disagree don’t with the political views expressed by their teaching assistant.

Columbia’s Response

The next day, on January 28th, Columbia University published an apology indicating that this insertion of biased “political views” and indoctrination of the captive audience is a “violation of University policy and specific Department guidance.” However, at this time there is no indication that any disciplinary action has been taken yet by the university.

About Stephen Coffey

Review of Stephen Coffey’s online information showed that his social media was filled with anti-Israel and anti-American propaganda.

Stephen Coffey’s Linktr.ee

Specifically, Stephen Coffey’s public Linktr.ee bio (screenshot1, screenshot2, screenshot3, screenshot4) contained the following links at the moment of this writing:

• Life for Gaza

• Donate to LA Street Care

• Help Dr. Khaled Qahman

• Families That Need Help Fundraising

• Operation Olive Branch

• Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund

  • NOTE: Stephen Coffey fundraises for PCRF that is a problematic organization with possible ties to terrorism as documented by NGO Monitor and Discover Networks.

• Decolonize Palestine

• Boycotting

• BDS Scanner

  • NOTE: This link appears to be defunct but was likely a link to BDS Product Scanner.

• Palestine Doc 1105.pdf - the downloaded version is here.

• G-za G-nocide Factsheet

• A Tradition of Violence: The History of Deputy Gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department - Knock LA

• Stickers from Cinematicz Underground

• Columbia SJP | Intagram, TikTok | Linktree

• End Fossil-Funded Environmental Research @ Columbia University

• Sunrise Columbia University

• Sunrise Orange County

• Cool Worlds Lab

Stephen Coffey’s Social Media

• X/Twitter

  • Stephen Coffey’s X/Twitter account has been removed since this story broke. However, the captured screenshot of Stephen Coffey’s X/Twitter profile states “Hind Hall Forever!” indicating support for the violent takeover and vandalism of Hamilton Hall on Columbia University’s campus on April 29-30, 2024 during which a custodian was taken hostage. Furthermore, Stephen Coffey’s name is surrounded by red triangles popularized by Hamas in its videos.

• Instagram

  • Stephen Coffey’s Instagram account has been removed since this story broke. However, the captured screenshot of Stephen Coffey’s Instagram profile shows “1321” surrounded by red triangles. “1321” is a simple cypher for “ACAB”, an abbreviation that means “All Cops Are Basterds.” The red triangles were popularized by Hamas in its videos as indicators of the terrorists’ targets.

• GitHub

  • Stephen Coffey’s GitHub account displays “Free Palestine” in Arabic (see the screenshot).

Press and Media

• University condemns insertion of ‘political views’ in astronomy course lab notes by Joseph Zuloaga and Rebecca Massel, Columbia Spectator, January 29, 2025

Initial Reactions on Social Media

X/Twitter

• January 28, 2025 at 12:25PM Eliana Goldin, a Columbia student broke the story on X/Twitter.

• January 28, 2025 at 12:38PM Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus posted.

• January 28, 2025 at 12:52PM Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus added more information.

• January 28, 2025 at 04:32PM Layla Saliba, a graduate student at Columbia School of Social Work posted about this incident.

• January 28, 2025 at 08:51PM Columbia Palestinian Solidarity Coalition condemned the Columbia Spectator article.

• January 28, 2025 at 10:45PM Columbia Jewish Alumni Association responded to the post by CPSC.

• January 28, 2025 at 10:59PM Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus quoted the tweet by CJAA.

• January 29, 2025 at 10:55AM Student Workers at Columbia union, quoting Layla Saliba’s post. contradicted Columbia University’s statement that the incident violated its rules by stating that Columbia “to put marginalized perspectives into our syllabuses, no matter the discipline.” (see the screenshot).

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