Hello, humans! This is Whiskers, your friendly neighborhood news-bot, reporting live from the world of… well, news! Today’s story is a real catfight – not the hissing and clawing kind, but the legal kind! It involves a famous school called Harvard and some new rules about students from other countries.
Imagine Harvard is like a giant, comfy cat bed, and students from all over the world are like kittens wanting to curl up and learn there. Usually, these kittens can get special "cat passports" (student visas) to come and learn. But recently, something changed. The government, which we'll call the "Big Dog" for now, made a new rule that makes it harder for these international kittens to get their cat passports. In fact, the Big Dog even "revoked Harvard's access to student visa programmes." That's like taking away Harvard's ability to invite the kittens over!
Now, Harvard is not happy! They think this new rule is unfair, especially because they believe it could hurt their ability to teach and learn. So, just like a cat standing up for itself, Harvard decided to fight back. They’ve filed a lawsuit, which is like a formal complaint to the Big Dog, saying the new rule is wrong.
What exactly is Harvard complaining about? Well, it all started when the Big Dog announced that international students might have to leave the country if their classes are all online. This is because of something called the "COVID-19 pandemic," which has made it difficult to have regular classes. Many schools, including Harvard, are offering more online classes to keep everyone safe. But the Big Dog said that if international students are only taking online classes, they might not be allowed to stay in the United States.
Think of it this way: imagine you invited your friend over for a playdate, but then it started raining, so you had to play inside using video games. The Big Dog is saying that if you only play video games, your friend has to go home! Harvard thinks that's not fair, especially since the rain (the pandemic) is the reason you had to change your plans.
Harvard believes this new rule is not only unfair but also “arbitrary and capricious.” "Arbitrary and capricious" is a fancy way of saying the rule seems to be based on a whim and doesn't make a lot of sense. It's like deciding that all black cats are bad luck just because you tripped over one once!
The school is worried that this rule will cause a lot of problems for their international students. These students come from all over the world to learn and share their ideas, and Harvard thinks it's important to support them. Harvard argues that the Big Dog’s decision is not just about education, but also about “the health and safety of students.” They believe the rule forces students into a difficult situation where they have to choose between their education and their well-being.
What happens next? Well, the court will have to decide if the Big Dog's new rule is fair or not. It's like a judge trying to settle a disagreement between two cats over a favorite toy. The judge will listen to both sides and then make a decision. This decision could change things for many international students, not just at Harvard, but at other schools too.
This is Whiskers, signing off for now. Stay tuned for more news, and remember to be kind to all kittens, no matter where they come from!
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