-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed the case of Widener School of Law professor Lawrence Connell who was suspended after using Dean Linda Ammons in hypotheticals in class (here and here). Connell had been charged with engaging in racial and sexual discrimination and harassment in how he taught his criminal law class.
According to a press release (pdf) from Connell’s attorneys, the Widener University committee impaneled to review the charges “unanimously cleared law professor Larry Connell of charges that he was a racist, a sexist and a danger to students.”
Connell said: “Once again the faculty of the law school spoke clearly about the tactics of Dean Ammons in her attempt to rid the campus of my conservative voice. This is the second time the faculty refused to sign on to her vendetta against me.”
H/T: Orin Kerr.
Heck yea the guy is rubbing salt in it. And it is indeed funny. So what if the gal is black and a woman. She obviously doesn’t deserve her position, making personal vendetta of a loose cannon professor shows poorly on her judgment skills. It seems the ladies who brought the charges were lying.
However, again, from all angles it is indeed funny. I’m sure the professor is enjoying every minute of it and the Dean has a very large stoppage in her craw.
Rafflaw, just out of curiosity, how do you think the Professor managed to stage the Dean’s response? Wasn’t there some risk that, say, she would laugh it off like most deans would. How did you know she would be so thin-skinned?
Mike Spindell, are you against any possible deprecation of people in authority, however humorous or casual, or only of black female law deans? Should teasing, criticizing, or deprecating an employer be a dismissible offense?
Strange Hypos are nothing new to Law School. However, I do agree with Mike S. that this does seem to be a staged event on the part of this conservative law professor.
“it seems from this man’s history there was a subtext that may well have been racist and misogynistic.”
Connell has no track record of either. They only thing that differentiates him from the rest of the school is that he’s a conservative Republican.
Deans are used ALL THE TIME in hypotheticals like this. It’s also laughable to continue to assert she suffers from any kind of racism. She’s a dean. He’s a professor. She outranks him.
She messed up. They wanted to silence him for political reasons. Was it worth it?
“I think it is dangerous to use this woman as a hypothetical in his class. It diminishes her and her position at the university.”
Erykah,
Dangerous might be a little to loaded a word, duplicitous would fit better in my opinion. In either event it was inappropriate for a Law Professor to use his Dean in a hypothetical and his statement:
“her attempt to rid the campus of my conservative voice”
Gives me the inference that this was a staged event to further his own aims, by diminishing and disrespecting her. While I understand that many hypothetical’s, as JT has stated, are humorous banter, it seems from this man’s history there was a subtext that may well have been racist and misogynistic.
Thanks for the follow-up
Once again White nationalism wins and I a’int surprised. I think it is dangerous to use this woman as a hypothetical in his class. It diminishes her and her position at the university. I can see how students would treat her disdainfully as a result of this. Black people get no respect no matter what position they are in.
Can we all just get along? Or are you asking can black people just go along? I think not.
Who in law school would really take a comment of a Professor….like this out of context….I recall..numerous instances of classroom examples such as this…I, based upon the information provided think that the school came to the correct conclusion….
I am a little uncomfortable with the last statement of the Professor….but I too can see where he would be entitled to say how he felt….
In the memorable words of Rodney King….Can’t we all just get along…..