NYU Nurse Fired After Stating “Genocide in Gaza” During Speech
In a move that has reignited the debate around free speech, NYU Langone Health has reportedly terminated the employment of a nurse who referred to “Gaza genocide” during an acceptance speech. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about the boundaries of permissible speech in the workplace.
Hesen Jabr, a nurse at NYU Langone, was recently honored for her work with bereaving mothers. However, during her acceptance speech, she made remarks criticizing Israel’s military actions against Palestinians in Gaza, referring to a “Gaza genocide.”
Jabr took to Instagram @iknowwhythejaybirdsings to discuss her experience.
Jabr’s Instagram post states,
“May 7th, 2024. Nurse’s Week. I gave an acceptance speech for an award I received for my work with bereaving mothers who lost their children during pregnancy and childbirth. On May 22nd, I arrived on my first shift back since receiving the award. As soon as I walked onto the unit, I was dragged into an impromptu meeting with the President and Vice President of Nursing at NYU Langone to discuss how I “put others at risk” and “ruined the ceremony” and “offended people” because a small part of my speech was a tribute towards the grieving mothers in my country. I was sent back to work my shift while the hospital spent the day “figuring out” what to do with me. After working almost the entire shift, I was dragged once again to an office where I was read my termination letter by the director of human resources, Austin Bender, and escorted off the premises by a plain clothes police officer.
You’re not going crazy and you’re not missing anything..This is the paradox that is NYU Langone Medical Center.”
According to a statement from NYU Langone to the New York Times, Jabr was subsequently fired from her position due to her comments.
The statement –
“Hesen Jabr was warned in December, following a previous incident, not to bring her views on this divisive and charged issue into the workplace. She instead chose not to heed that at a recent employee recognition event that was widely attended by her colleagues, some of whom were upset after her comments. As a result, Jabr is no longer an NYU Langone employee,” – Steve Ritea.
A look at @nyulangone Instagram account shows backlash in the comments.
Nurse.org’s post on Instagram has received mixed reactions from the nursing community.
