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EDUCATION LIFE When a student mob came for my job, my college did not support me
Spectator ^ | 3-15-19 | Samuel Abrams

Posted on 03/26/2019 7:35:24 PM PDT by DeweyCA

Students at my college demanded a review of my tenure because of an article I wrote. My fellow faculty members failed to back me up

Sarah Lawrence College claims that its mission is to graduate students who are, ‘diverse in every definition of the word.’ Unfortunately, recent events which have been in the national eye, suggest otherwise. And this story involves me.

Seizing on an op-ed I wrote for The New York Times a few months ago, in which I questioned the lack of ideological balance of the school’s extracurricular programming, a group of student protesters calling themselves the Diaspora Coalition labeled me a racist misogynist. They demanded that my ‘position at the College be put up to tenure review to a panel of the Diaspora Coalition and at least three faculty members of color.’

As a direct assault on academic freedom and free speech, this demand by the Diaspora Coalition should have sent shivers down the spines of all of my colleagues at Sarah Lawrence College and compelled an immediate and strong faculty response. That simply did not happen.

In fact, after the op-ed’s initial publication in October, there was a national media storm in which I was slandered and defamed, my family’s safety was threatened, and my personal property was destroyed on campus.

While the college president eventually issued a perfunctory statement noting that I had ‘every right, and the full support of the college, to pursue and publish this work,’ the faculty’s support was minimal.

(Skip)

Only 27 members of the faculty community signed the document, roughly 7 percent of the total faculty. Thus, to my shock, a proclamation in defense of academic freedom, freedom of speech and mutual respect clearly was deemed controversial and not overwhelmingly supported by my own colleagues.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.us ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: academicbias; academicfreedom; censorship; education; freespeech; liberalfascism; samuelabrams; sarahlawrence; tenure
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Yet another example of the Left suppressing freedom of speech and academic freedom (this time by a tenured prof) on college campuses. In fact, 12 percent of the faculty — more than the 7 percent who supported the general statement about free speech back in October — endorsed the students’ demand to challenge his tenure and his right to free speech and the expression of ideas.
1 posted on 03/26/2019 7:35:24 PM PDT by DeweyCA
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To: DeweyCA

What the heck was he doing at Sarah Lawrence in the first place - wow.


2 posted on 03/26/2019 7:39:18 PM PDT by Ouchthatonehurt
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To: DeweyCA

From stories like this, one must remember the leftist’s creed.

You have the right to any opinion you want, just as long as it’s ours.


3 posted on 03/26/2019 7:40:42 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult
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To: DeweyCA

His op-ed that he published in The New York Times which raised all of this ruckus was the following. “I recently surveyed a nationally representative sample of roughly 900 “student-facing” administrators — those whose work concerns the quality and character of a student’s experience on campus. I found that liberal staff members outnumber their conservative counterparts by the astonishing ratio of 12-to-one. Only 6 percent of campus administrators identified as conservative to some degree, while 71 percent classified themselves as liberal or very liberal. It’s no wonder so much of the nonacademic programming on college campuses is politically one-sided.”

He simply conducted a national survey, published the results and then called for more “diversity” among college administrators. You can read the original op-ed at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/opinion/liberal-college-administrators.html


4 posted on 03/26/2019 7:41:56 PM PDT by DeweyCA
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To: DeweyCA
In fact, 12 percent of the faculty — more than the 7 percent who supported the general statement about free speech back in October — endorsed the students’ demand to challenge his tenure and his right to free speech and the expression of ideas.

Meaning that any degrees awarded by this institution are worth less than the paper they are printed on. Middle school drop outs should be considered for employment before anyone with a "degree" from this institution.

5 posted on 03/26/2019 7:42:14 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: DeweyCA

How does this faculty response to the professor’s case compare to the faculty response to the Duke LaCrosse team?


6 posted on 03/26/2019 7:43:13 PM PDT by hanamizu
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To: DeweyCA
He simply conducted a national survey, published the results and then called for more “diversity” among college administrators.

And for that, his job was threatened, as well as the physical safety of him and his family. That's the Left.

7 posted on 03/26/2019 7:43:36 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: Hillarys Gate Cult

Free Speech for me, but not for thee...


8 posted on 03/26/2019 7:46:12 PM PDT by Kriggerel ("All great truths are hard and bitter, but lies... are sweeter than wild honey" (Ragnar Redbeard))
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To: DeweyCA
I found that liberal staff members outnumber their conservative counterparts by the astonishing ratio of 12-to-one.

I see his error. It should read ". . .FASCIST staff members outnumber their conservative counterparts. . "

9 posted on 03/26/2019 7:52:50 PM PDT by jimfree (My18 y/o granddaughter continues to have more quality exec experience than an 8 year Obama.)
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To: DeweyCA

He’s been on campus long enough to know that he shouldn’t have been on campus.


10 posted on 03/26/2019 7:56:32 PM PDT by onedoug
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To: DeweyCA
"Moreover, free speech and academic freedom is a privilege that academics have fought for over many decades."

He still doesn’t get it. Free speech isn’t a "privilege" it’s a constitutionally protected right. Privileges are abilities granted by some superior authority, rights are inherent in one’s existence.

11 posted on 03/26/2019 7:59:01 PM PDT by Swordmaker (My pistol self-identifies as an iPad, so you must accept it in gun-free zones, you hoplaphobe bigot!)
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To: DeweyCA

The money needs to be cut off to these dumps.


12 posted on 03/26/2019 7:59:37 PM PDT by headstamp 2
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To: DeweyCA

Ivory tower problems. It’s sad so many hard-working high-IQ people end up surrounded by leftists that destroy everything they touch. It’s an easy job, mostly government or government-like. Why do they aim so low? These brainy people go so unchallenged and misallocated they end up doing outside work.


13 posted on 03/26/2019 8:10:03 PM PDT by Reeses (A journey of a thousand miles begins with a government pat down.)
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To: DeweyCA

We can’t even defund Planned Infanticide. How do we expect to be able to defund these Marxist indoctrination camps?


14 posted on 03/26/2019 8:12:00 PM PDT by Dogbert41 (When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. -Luke 11:21)
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To: DeweyCA

Let’s hope the ridiculous education-industrial debt-fed bubble pops soon, and takes down these leftist puppy mills


15 posted on 03/26/2019 8:27:26 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: DeweyCA

I’m not about to feel sorry for somebody who benefitted and got tenured in a leftist cesspool and is now treading water because his students turned on him.


16 posted on 03/26/2019 8:28:49 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
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To: DeweyCA

and when they force him out,
that 6 percent conservative will go down to 2 or 3


17 posted on 03/26/2019 8:40:24 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: DeweyCA

I’m sorry:

Just what in hell IS a “Diaspora Coalition”...?

I don’t get it.


18 posted on 03/26/2019 8:59:50 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: gaijin

Read the article.


19 posted on 03/26/2019 9:28:34 PM PDT by DeweyCA
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To: Ouchthatonehurt

S.L. was a Marxist shithole 50 years or more ago. Looks like nothing has changed.


20 posted on 03/26/2019 9:28:36 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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