PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania law school says it is imposing a one-year suspension at half-pay and other sanctions along with a public reprimand on a tenured professor over her comments about race in recent years.
The university said Professor Amy Wax — who has questioned the academic performance of Black students, invited a white nationalist to speak to her class and suggested the country would be better off with less Asian immigration — will also lose her named chair and summer pay in perpetuity and must note in public appearances that she speaks for herself, not as a university or law school member. The university has not, however, fired her or stripped her of tenure.
Wax told the New York Sun after the announcement that she intends to stay at the school as a “conservative presence on campus.” She called allegations of mistreatment of students “totally bogus and made up” and said her treatment amounted to “performance art” highlighting that the administration “doesn’t want conservatives like me on campus.”
The university said in a notice posted in its almanac last week that a faculty hearing board concluded after a three-day hearing in May of last year that Wax had engaged in “flagrant unprofessional conduct,” citing what it called “a history of making sweeping and derogatory generalizations about groups by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status.” Wax was also accused of “breaching the requirement that student grades be kept private by publicly speaking about the grades of law students by race” making “discriminatory and disparaging statements,” some in the classroom, “targeting specific racial, ethnic, and other groups with which many students identify.”
Provost John L. Jackson Jr. said academic freedom “is and should be very broad” but teachers must convey “a willingness to assess all students fairly” and must not engage in “unprofessional conduct that creates an unequal educational environment.” Jackson said Wax’s conduct left many students “understandably concerned” about her being able to impartially judge their academic performance.
Wax’s lawyer, David Shapiro, told the campus newspaper, the Daily Pennsylvanian, in November that officials targeted Wax over her public comments and some elements of her class on conservative thought, including having a white nationalist figure speak. But he said officials also buttressed their case by throwing in “a handful of isolated, years-old allegations (which are highly contested)” about alleged interactions with “a few minority students.”
Wax told the New York Sun that allegations of abuse or discrimination against students were “fabricated and tacked on as a cover for penalizing me for standard-issue, conservative anti-‘woke’ opinions and factual observations that are not allowed on campus.” She said she was committed to exposing students to “opinions and viewpoints they don’t want to hear” and said she fears campuses like Penn are “raising a generation of students who can’t deal with disagreement.”
In 2018, Wax was removed from teaching required first-year law courses after the law school dean accused her of having spoken “disparagingly and inaccurately” about the performance of Black students.
A law professor at a prominent university has been suspended for one year following controversial comments he made regarding race. The professor, who has not been named, came under fire after making remarks that were deemed offensive and inappropriate by both students and faculty members.
The incident began when the professor made a series of comments during a lecture on constitutional law that were seen as racially insensitive. According to reports, the professor made statements that suggested certain races were inherently more prone to criminal behavior and violence. These comments sparked outrage among students, who immediately took to social media to express their anger and disappointment.
In response to the backlash, the university launched an investigation into the professor’s conduct. After reviewing the evidence and conducting interviews with students and faculty members, the university determined that the professor had violated the school’s code of conduct and had engaged in behavior that was detrimental to the university’s reputation.
As a result, the professor was suspended for one year without pay. In addition, he was required to undergo sensitivity training and participate in community service activities focused on promoting diversity and inclusion. The university also issued a public apology for the professor’s comments and reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in academic settings. It also highlights the need for universities to hold their faculty members accountable for their words and actions, especially when they have the potential to harm or offend others.
Moving forward, it is crucial for universities to continue to educate their faculty members on issues of race and diversity, and to create a culture of respect and understanding within their institutions. By doing so, universities can ensure that all students feel safe and valued, regardless of their race or background.
