HMM. DIRTY ACADEMIC POLITICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON?

Why were university administrators so keen to adopt this flawed report? Perhaps because the administration itself was responsible for much of the resulting educational disruption, including student outrage, damage to the law school’s reputation and a toxic law school atmosphere.

After all, when the Halloween event first became known, administrators repeatedly failed to inform students of the actual intent behind the costume (of which they were fully aware), or of the professor’s record as a defender of minority rights. And when these facts surfaced, officials doubled down by claiming that her intent did not matter, a position now echoed in the report. …

Why was the administration’s response so conducive to inflaming rather than calming emotions? Admittedly, some misguided administrators may actually have believed the professor’s intent in donning the costume simply didn’t matter.

But we should also note that the professor in question was one of seven law school professors who had complained to university officials about the managerial performance of the law school dean [Michael Moffitt]. Isn’t it often the case that the settling of personal scores underlie ideological purification campaigns?

Whatever the reason for administrators’ responses, let’s not forget what’s at stake in this sordid affair. According to the university, a professor is guilty of racial discrimination and harassment for donning a costume that sought to advocate for racial equality. And that act of political expression is not protected by the rights to free speech nor by academic freedom.

This is a sad day for the freedom of speech and expression at the University of Oregon.

Shameful.