News
Progressive Labor Party Organizes Solidarity March With Harvard Yard Encampment
News
Encampment Protesters Briefly Raise 3 Palestinian Flags Over Harvard Yard
News
Mayor Wu Cancels Harvard Event After Affinity Groups Withdraw Over Emerson Encampment Police Response
News
Harvard Yard To Remain Indefinitely Closed Amid Encampment
News
HUPD Chief Says Harvard Yard Encampment is Peaceful, Defends Students’ Right to Protest
LEONARD JEFFRIES should indeed be fired. Not because of the moronic things he says, but because, in threatening the life of a student, he has committed a felony.
Academic freedom is academic freedom. It is the unmitigated right of tenured academics to say and publish whatever they want--including what others may regard as worthless or virulent. And universities--because of their special relationship with the realm of knowledge--must be particularly wary of excluding ideas of any kind.
The staff editorial states that, because CUNY happens to be publicly funded, it need not adhere to the absolute standard of academic freedom. Unlike other forms of public schools in which the government can exert influence on what is taught, CUNY is in fact a college, just like Harvard. As such, it should commit to the same principles of academic freedom that private institutions hold so dear.
We agree with the staff position that Leonard Jeffries is an obnoxious, hateful character. But in the interest of protecting the greater ideal of academic freedom, his ideas must not be institutionally silenced. As a scholar--of whatever quality--Jeffries should be protected; as a common criminal, Jeffries should be incarcerated.
CUNY should punish illegal conduct, not moronic teaching.
Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter.