Category: Academia

The Three Rs: Reading, Writing, and Reparations?

The 1619 Project Education Network, in conjunction with the Pulitzer Center, have released a new curriculum for high school students that will convert some math classes into a discussion of reparations and racial justice.  Students will be asked to work out the math on the payment for past years of slavery and racial discrimination. A 2020 report found that prior 1619 Project curriculum proposals have been adopted in over 3,500 classrooms across all 50 states. Continue reading “The Three Rs: Reading, Writing, and Reparations?”

Michigan Economics Professor: Boycotting Target is “Literal Terrorism” [Updated]

In New York, a pro-life display was declared by a professor to be an act of “violence.” In Colorado, a university site warned that misgendering is violence. It is part of a national pattern on campuses where opposing views are declared “harmful” or “violent” as a justification for censorship or even violence. Now, University of Michigan economics professor Justin Wolfers has declared some of those boycotting the store Target over its line of LGBTQ+ “Pride” clothing are guilty of “literal terrorism.” Continue reading “Michigan Economics Professor: Boycotting Target is “Literal Terrorism” [Updated]”

Harvard Survey: Over 75 Percent of the Harvard Faculty Identifies as “Liberal” or “Very Liberal’

We previously discussed how surveys at universities show a virtual purging of conservative and Republican faculty members. Last year, the Harvard Crimson noted that the university had virtually eliminated Republicans from most departments but that the lack of diversity was not a problem.  Now, a new survey conducted by the Harvard Crimson shows that more than three-quarters of Harvard Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences faculty respondents identify as “liberal” or “very liberal.” Only 2.5% identified as “conservative,” and only 0.4% as “very conservative.” Continue reading “Harvard Survey: Over 75 Percent of the Harvard Faculty Identifies as “Liberal” or “Very Liberal’”

“We Have a Captive Audience”: Boston University to Require Students to Take Social Justice Writing Courses

Boston University recently made a new announcement that has rekindled concerns over the rising orthodoxy in our institutions of higher education. The University issued new guidelines  and courses for its mandatory writing program that will require all students to write papers with a “social justice emphasis” as a condition for graduation. The key faculty organizers celebrated the new policy and the hiring of non-white instructors as guaranteeing social justice results by making students a “captive audience” with no choice in the matter. The school’s announcement emphasizes that the effort is designed to use the mandatory writing requirement so that these courses will “never worry about enrollment.”  The poor choice of wording can be addressed with a public commitment to maintain an array of other choices for students in fulfilling their writing requirements.

Farewell to Robert Zimmer, Champion of Free Speech and Academic Freedom

This week, academia and the free speech community lost one of our most important figures.  Former University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer passed away at 75. Zimmer was an inspiration for many of us who have resisted the rising atmosphere of intolerance at colleges and universities across the country. His issuance of the Chicago Principles would prove one of the most important moments in American higher education and will forever leave us all in his debt. Continue reading “Farewell to Robert Zimmer, Champion of Free Speech and Academic Freedom”

Smith College Drops Use of Word “Field” as Racially Insensitive

The Machete Standard: The Firing of an Activist Professor Leaves More Questions Than Answers

Below is my column in the New York Post on Hunter College Professor Shellyne Rodríguez and her termination after menacing a reporter with a machete. She was previously defended by students and faculty after trashing a pro-life display.  The fact is that misconduct by activist faculty is on the rise, as is the underlying sense of impunity. The problem is that the termination may set a machete standard, but there is still doubt over what else can compel termination in today’s academic environment. Clearly, abusing students and destroying pro-life displays is not one of those things.

Here is the column: Continue reading “The Machete Standard: The Firing of an Activist Professor Leaves More Questions Than Answers”

Ohio Northern Pulls Law Professor Out of Classroom … But Will Not Explain Why

Ohio Northern University’s Petite College of Law has a curious view of due process.  The law school sent security officers into the class of Professor Scott Gerber in April and removed him from the class.  He was then barred from teaching or even coming on campus. If you think it must have been something unspeakable, you are right. No one has yet to fully explain to Gerber why he has been subject to these measures. I have been waiting to write on the case because I assumed the law school would be forthcoming on the details. It has not despite a growing number of calls for explanations of the underlying claims being made against this academic.

Continue reading “Ohio Northern Pulls Law Professor Out of Classroom … But Will Not Explain Why”

Penn Anthropology Professor Under Fire For Discussion of Transgender Issues in Class

University of Pennsylvania Anthropology Professor Theodore Schurr is apparently an academic recidivist in allowing a diversity of viewpoints in a classroom. For that offense, Dr. Schurr is again the subject of complaints and a call for suspension. Tolerating, let alone encouraging, such diversity of viewpoints in a classroom is now considered harmful and abusive. Continue reading “Penn Anthropology Professor Under Fire For Discussion of Transgender Issues in Class”

Michigan State University Professor Allegedly Required Students to Contribute to Her Advocacy Group

Michigan State University (MSU) students are suing a professor who allegedly forced them and other students to pay $99 each to her personal political advocacy organization. An estimated $60,000 was raised for The Rebellion Community, which funds Planned Parenthood and other liberal causes. MSU has offered to repay the money but Amy Wisner, professor of marketing at the MSU College of Business (who has reportedly been let go by the university) has not been required to return any of the money. The students allege that Wisner linked to a Facebook page associated with “The Rebellion Community” and noted “The Rebellion community is a safe place to coordinate our efforts to burn everything to the f***ing ground.” (One has to appreciate the fact that, even in a rebellion to “burn everything to ground,” Wisner offered a safe space for the self-described arsonists).

Continue reading “Michigan State University Professor Allegedly Required Students to Contribute to Her Advocacy Group”

“You’re Triggering My Students”: Hunter College Professor Trashes Pro-Life Display

We have previously discussed professors who have violently attacked students or destroyed displays with opposing views. This month there was the Albany professor who shutdown a pro-life display and then resisted arrest. The latest such case comes from Hunter College where Art Professor Shellyne Rodríguez trashed a pro-life display while badgering them for “f***ing propaganda” that was “triggering” for her students. Continue reading ““You’re Triggering My Students”: Hunter College Professor Trashes Pro-Life Display”

“Nature is Amazing”: Feathers Fly Over Claim of Scientific American Editor that Some Birds Have Four Sexes

We recently discussed the controversy involving a University of Pittsburgh anthropology professor who declared that you cannot tell the gender of an individual from their bones. Now the editor-in-chief of Scientific American Laura Helmuth is under fire for claiming that certain birds have four sexes. Continue reading ““Nature is Amazing”: Feathers Fly Over Claim of Scientific American Editor that Some Birds Have Four Sexes”

Turley to Speak at Event with Larry Krasner at The University of Chicago

Today, I have the pleasure of returning to the University of Chicago for a talk on law and politics. I will be joined by Larry Krasner, Philadelphia District Attorney. It is all part of the alumni events at UChicago, my alma mater.  Both Krasner and I were graduates of the 1983 class as were figures like commentator and columnist David Brooks. This weekend has been a wonderful opportunity not only to spend time with my soon-to-be 96-year-old mother on the Northside but to return to my alma mater.  When I was looking at other universities over 40 years ago, I was advised by a counselor that UChicago was the only place for socially dysfunctional nerds like myself. He was right and I have long been proud of the school for remaining a bastion of free speech, including being ranked as the number one free speech school in the country. Continue reading “Turley to Speak at Event with Larry Krasner at The University of Chicago”

Turley Speaks at UChicago on Free Speech and Academic Freedom

Today I have the pleasure of speaking on (and moderating) a panel discussing free speech and academic freedom at my alma mater, The University of Chicago. I will also be speaking tomorrow at a separate event on law and politics. The panel on “The Path Toward Safeguarding Academic Freedom” will be held at 3 pm at the Rubenstein Forum: Peter May Boardroom. Continue reading “Turley Speaks at UChicago on Free Speech and Academic Freedom”

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks