by Lionel Bascom — July 29th, 2007 — 1 comment
The Boston Herald called him the nutty professor. The University of Colorado has been wrestling with the antics of Professor Ward Churchill for years.
The university has finally given Ward the axe, charging the $100,000 a year prof. with academic misconduct, including plagiarism.
“Despite those assertions, the right-wing newspaper said, this was really about an out-of-control teacher … saying things so foolish that no institute of learning could support them.
“Imagine losing a loved one in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and then hearing a tenured professor of “Ethnic Studies” accuse your dead relative or friend of being “a little Eichmann,” a Nazi. All because the murdered person worked in a capitalistic enterprise” called The World Trade Center. “That statement from Churchill is the equivalent of a teacher denying the Holocaust happened or saying that slavery wasn’t evil. How could any school allow a teacher that misguided to instruct students? Talk about academic malpractice!
Free speech advocates rushed to defend Churchill’s right to his opinion. The American Civil Liberty Union urged CU not to fire Churchill and other academics are citing his right to “academic freedom,” a long-held tradition in American higher education.
9:42 PM in Uncategorized, World Trade Center, Related Stories, Freedom Tower News, Politics
Academic freedom is one thing. Cruelty is another. In this case, Professor Churchill was just plain cruel. There is no place on this planet for that kind of behavior. Perhaps, the ACLU might think about reconsidering their focus. We human beings need to tap into that area where kindness emanates. It’s called the heart.
One indicator of intelligence is the ability to sympathize. Obviously, this professor lacks that aspect of intelligence. Perhaps, he needs a little ‘mental floss.’
Jeanne · July 29th, 2007 at 10:22 pm