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Â鶹´«Ã½IOS cofounder Harvey A. Silverglate and Jan Wolfe published a piece in yesterday’s edition of The Phoenix commenting on recent developments at Tufts University.

Torch readers are undoubtedly familiar with the latest developments at Tufts: Even though University President Lawrence Bacow issued a statement affirming First Amendment protections at the private institution, the school’s harassment finding against a conservative student publication for printing satire still stands.

Echoing our statements in yesterday’s press release, Harvey and Jan write:

While Bacow and Glaser should be commended for their eloquent defense of the First Amendment, it’s puzzling that they have not reversed the harassment charge itself. Harassment has a fairly clear-cut legal definition, and to describe these parodies as such waters down the term and renders it meaningless. The ruling also discourages students from engaging in parody, a time-tested and valuable literary device. The threat to academic freedom is particularly grave in the case of the Muslim Â鶹´«Ã½IOS Association flyer parody, as the piece contained only demonstrably factual statements about Islam, complete with footnotes.

While the editors of The Primary Source might be off the hook, a disciplinary ruling that is not flatly reversed maintains some of its power as a precedent. An ominous sword of Damocles still hangs over the head of any Tufts student who wishes to make a social or political point by making fun of someone. Colleges need to learn that poking fun at a sacred cow doesn’t always mean the poor animal’s being harassed.