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I write with concerns that the very high journalistic standards at The Crimson have declined where its staff's tendentious views on Israel are involved.

Friday's story contains errors resulting from, among other things, failure to engage in elementary journalistic practices of confirming all facts with sources before publication. For example, The Crimson implied I skipped class on Thursday without focusing on the fact that I co-teach Econ 1420: “American Economic Policy” with Professor Jeffrey Liebman and was not scheduled to teach on Thursday. (This was corrected without acknowledgement only after we pointed it out). Other examples include the article’s failure to note that I had no idea the wall was coming down when I was speaking, its implication that there’s something normal about College Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh enforcing rules that are set by central administration (rather than the College), and failure to link to readily available video of the event.

The Crimson's discussion of past incidents is highly selective, emphasizing cases like this one of alleged suppression of pro-Palestinian speech, while omitting instances of limitations placed on expression by Jewish students. Here, it leaves out the reported decision to insist that a menorah be taken down every night for so-called security reasons in 2023.

The Crimson does not convey what I said. I condemned Harvard's double standard with respect to permitting racist and antisemitic exhibits. I called out the failure of the Harvard Administration to criticize antisemitic speech and acts as it has criticized bigotry in the past. And I spoke out against antisemitism, noting the failure of Harvard's anti-Israeli groups to even mention Hamas terror as a problem.

For an alternative perspective, readers can look at the Substack post of Ira Stoll, former Crimson President and professional journalist, who covered the event in a way that better reflects my understanding of what went on and unlike The Crimson, provided a video so readers could make their own judgements.

Because I am concerned about the integrity of the reporting process I would hope that The Crimson identify publicly anyone on their staff with connection to writing, assigning, or editing stories, or who could be engaged in decisions about the future Guard, who has had connection with the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, Harvard Chabad, or other groups engaged around Harvard and the Middle East.

— Lawrence H. Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and served as the 27th president of Harvard University.