We previously discussed the controversy surrounding Oberlin Professor Joy Karega, who has attracted fervent criticism for her social media comments including blaming Israel for the 9/11 attacks. In a move that will magnify the free speech issues discussed earlier, Karega has been suspended with pay as assistant professor of rhetoric and composition.
Karega reportedly posted controversial statements after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, including a picture showing an Islamic State terrorist with a Star of David tattoo pulling off a mask, exposing the face of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She added “This ain’t even hard. They unleashed Mossad on France and it’s clear why.” She explained that the massacre was part of a conspiracy to stop French support for Palestinians. She also posted a statement that Islamic State is not Islamic, but rather “a CIA and Mossad operation” and even frustration that “there’s too much information out here for the general public not to know this.”
Then there is her view that “Israeli and Zionist Jews” orchestrated the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.
I previously expressed concern over the inconsistent approach of universities and colleges to controversial statements made by academics on social media. My long-standing view is that such statements are an exercise of free speech as well as academic freedom in many circumstances. Oberlin President Marvin Krislov appeared to side with free speech when the controversy was first raised. However, this week Oberlin issued a statement saying the school had been “considering carefully the grave issues surrounding the anti-Semitic postings on social media by Oberlin faculty member Dr. Joy Karega.”
Karega in turn referred to her representative, Chui Karega, who denounced the school as “being used as a personal tool of religious extremism by a small number of people.” Chu Karega further accused the school of “pandering to the dictates of a handful of vocal and wealthy religious zealots, has set out to push Dr. Karega out of her faculty position at Oberlin.”
The issue in this case is really not the merits but the threshold question of whether academics should be allowed to express their views on such issues regardless of their objectionable or questionable content. If not, it is difficult to see where the line is to be drawn between permissible and sanctionable speech. There are obviously a wide array of pro and anti speech related to Palestinians and Israeli policies or conduct. Much of this speech is heavily steeped in historical, religious, and political viewpoints. The emphasis should be on whether there is evidence of bias displayed toward students. Obviously, Oberlin is not a state school and thus does not fall under the rules government government parties. Yet, free speech is the coin of the academic realm. It is essential to learning that students and faculty feel free to exchange views as part of an open and robust debate.
What do you think?
I am a retired science Prof from Rice University. If I had taught my students that the Sun rotates about our Earth today my University would have sent me off too. Freedom of speech does not give faculty members the authority to falsify science or history for that matter. If she had done what every professor must do namely carefully check the facts before teaching this nonsense she might have discovered what Sneaky Fromm calls her “idiocy”.
Nevertheless, there is an important caveat. Did she make these statements in class or in any other connection with her teaching duties? That is still unclear to me. Does it make a difference? I think it does. If she made these statements outside her duties as a teacher the University has only one recourse: do not promote her and do not raise her salary. As a private institution Oberlin can probably get away with that.
Coincidence?
Unlike most Americans Joy Karega is not a moronic sell out coward.
http://BuenaVistaMall.com
http://buenavistamall.com/9-11.jpg
Well stone the crows, I agree somewhat with Squeaky. The professor should be fired for stupidity. It would seem to me that this is a prerogative peculiar to a university, therefore uniquely appropriate. She is simply off the beam.
First they came for the Gypsies and I didn’t object or say anything because I wasn’t a Gypsie. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t object or say anything because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Oberlins. …….
Whitney Harris – the woman is clearly using her classes to build new workers for her movement. You do not allow that on campus.
Is this professor our Patriot commenter?
Dr. Joy Karega was inspired by Rev. Louis Farrakhan
Karega shared a blog post that featured a video speech by Louis Farrakhan, the radical Nation of Islam leader who is notorious for his anti-Semitic views. In the video, Farrakhan states that “is now becoming apparent that there were many Israeli and Zionist Jews in key roles in the 9/11 attack.
“Farrakhan is truth-telling in this video,” writes Karega.
In the Oberlin College classroom. The syllabus of Dr. Joy Karega:
A closer look at Karega’s “Writing for Social Justice” fall syllabus reveals several problematic required readings. Some of the titles include, “Cowardly, Hypocritical, Subservient Congressional Black Caucus Endorses Israeli Apartheid and Current War Crimes in Gaza” and “How Today’s Liberal Zionists Echo Apartheid South Africa’s Defenders.”
Have any students complained? You know the ones who actually paid for her classes.
They are the final customers aren’t they?
She does teach rhetoric doesn’t she?
If she was teaching a pre-med class or history I think there should be some concern.
Oberlin was in trouble before this. Hope the faculty can straighten it all out.
@TIN
I think you nailed it: it’s all about the “brand” – it costs $66,062 per year to attend.
Higher education is a major industry in this country. Most colleges and universities are not-for-profit businesses, but they are still businesses. They compete for ratings and the best students and staff. They employ marketers just like for-profit companies. Thus if a faculty member is engaging in activities that damage the brand, they’re going to want to dump her. While free speech is important, this is not a case of a Poli Sci professor raising controversial political questions in the classroom as part of the learning experience. This woman teaches composition and rhetoric and posted nutty conspiracy rants on her personal Facebook page. Thus her comments both damaged the reputation of the college, potentially alienated donors, and appear unrelated to academic freedom.
She had a cushy job and she blew it. Time to move on.
Face it – she pissed off the Jews. That’s all there is to it – no more, no less. So you can internalize the commands of your oppressors, or you can speak out for American values. Choose.
wow, Oberlin, once considered one of the finest liberal arts schools has become a joke like Yale. First the frenzy about ethnic foods in the cafeteria triggering microaggressions due to cultural appropriation and now this. Very sad indeed. Those snowflakes are gonna melt quickly when they encounter the real world.
I just finished Ashley Vance’s book on Elon Musk. They would not last 10 minutes working for him.
They who sign the paychecks make the rules. Any employee of consequence reflects upon the employer. BTW, the right of free speech as so loosely argued is afforded to the corporate entity as well. You’re fired or suspended…whatever… is also speech. Contracts aside.
The good thing is that the marketplace is winnowing out the chaff. There are plenty of good high paying jobs out here in Puget Sound, but it’s hard for a poetry major and the like , even with a PhD of all things, to find a place at a manufacturing, building trades, or tech enterprise. Again, a music major with two degrees couldn’t understand why she kept getting passed by for management at a major engineering firm. After all she has TWO, COUNT THEM, TWO DEGREES.
Let the self-destructive behavior go about finding its bottom. Not hearing too much from MIT etc..
does she not fit right in at Oberlin? Colleges should abolish their speech codes, period. If you cannot have free exchange, no matter how idiotic, on campus where can you? The answer to offensive and idiotic speech is more speech.
I think that the woman is a quack. Then again she probably thinks I’m a quack. This gets back to the free speech issue. How tolerant would Oberlin be towards Tea Party or Libertarian thinkers? Free speech is a big deal.
She should be fired for being an idiot, not because of what she said. Same for moon-landing deniers and flat-earthers. Some things are sooo stupid that they leave the sphere of “free speech” and become the ramblings of a lunatic.
Being anti-Israel is fine in my book, and even being anti-semitic to the point of saying Jews control the media and banking interests in the United States, and maybe it is even true. Who knows for sure? I can say that even with a good amount of Jewish blood in me, but at some point you just cross a line and become a kook.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
What? An assistant professor of rhetoric and composition. What the hell is that? I remember taking a class in underwater basket weaving, but rhetoric and composition – Really!
Is it any wonder why the organs for higher learning are failing to prepare students in the ways of how to get a job and make a living while leaving the temple of higher learning with 10’s of thousands in debt? And what do you have to show for it? Oh, forgot. Rhetoric and composition.
We had similar issues back in the 30s in the U.S. when the German American Bund arose from the right wing German Americans who sided with the Nazi Party in Germany. When the war came and then the Holocaust was exposed to the world the notion that all Jews needed to be killed was dampened down in the West and in America. But now we have this notion of “Palestinians”. We used to call them Jordanians on the West Bank after the Six Day War. Part of this movement has a false premise and is really not only anti Sematic but terrorist. If this teacher promoted a new Hitler in Germany she would not get as much support. She is falling into this Palestinian BS trap. She went in dumb and came out dumb too. Ask yourself if this college should suspend a teacher who promotes The German American Bund. The two things are difficult to separate. Or as Curley in the Three Stooges was quoted as saying: Hotsi Totsie, I smell a Nazi. Oberlin needs to talk to Curley.
Since Oberlin surely would not allow Milo to speak there, being suspended with pay is a paid vacation. There is no punishment.