Until early this morning, the only place this item appeared was the right-wing site Campus Reform, but I sincerely doubt that this is a hoax because I have other information substantiating it, and because they produce documents. [Also, several sites now substantiate the story, including The Washington Times.] And those documents (some are below) show that Bret Weinstein, the Evergreen State College biology professor who refused to leave campus on the Day of Departure, and then was demonized by faculty and students alike, is filing a lawsuit against his college for $3.8 million. Joining him in the suit is his wife Heather Heying, also a biology professor who was subject to abuse (see all my posts on the subject here.)
What has been filed is a “tort claim form,” announcing an impending suit and demanding that the College preserve documents that might be relevant to that suit. In the state of Washington, such forms must be filed 60 days before any suit is initiated.
The form asserts that Evergreen State College created “a racially hostile and retaliatory work environment,” and adds that “Through a series of decisions made at the highest levels, including to officially support a day of racial segregation, the College has refused to protect its employees from repeated provocative and corrosive verbal and written hostility based on race, as well as threats of physical violence.”
Here are the two pages reproduced by Campus Reform:
I’ve reported a lot more about this, including about a professor who posted with approbation a student document claiming that Weinstein was a white supremacist (he’s a secular Jew). The suit certainly has merit, especially when you consider that the college’s invertebrate President, George Bridges, ordered the campus police to “stand down” during the student riots and that those police said they couldn’t do anything to protect Weinstein and Heying, suggesting that they leave campus (they not only did that, but left town).
It’s pretty clear now that the careers of Weinstein and Heying at Evergreen State are done, much as they loved teaching there. (They both had very high teaching ratings.) The College’s failure to protect them and prevent them from both faculty and student hostility has cost them their jobs and perhaps their future livelihood as teachers.
I absolutely support this lawsuit, and wish it had been for even more money. I hope, in fact, that it bankrupts that intellectually flawed college (it won’t), or at least leads to the firing of Bridges and substantial reforms. This will send a message to all colleges who let Authoritarian Leftism get out of control to the extent that it creates a hostile workplace—something that, of course, violates the law.
Now let’s see if the New York Times reports this. This is, after all, important news by any account, as it bears on the intellectual climate of American colleges and universities.
Hope to see them get every penny and then some. Do not see how they could have done otherwise.
My money is on some kind of settlement once the College lawyers see the writing on the wall. Personally I’d rather see it go to court for the public exposure.
agree.
Yep. TESC will offer Weinstein a million bucks or so in “go away money” so that Bridges and his gang of SJ warriors can continue to pretend they are doing something worthwhile.
I doubt it will go away. I live in Seattle. People are paying attention here.
A reasonable amount for the pain and suffering and the costs, including legal, of re-starting their careers, moving and all that. The good that might come is to make college administrators and professors think a little more about how they have been complicit in the new Inquisition. But the damage was done, and the good taxpayers of Washington should think about how they are enabling it and about the damage to their children’s education. This is the sad part, because I’m afraid it’s going to be a long time before the lessons will be learned.
Sure “settlement” is the (very very very) safe bet, but we should all be agitating for the Weinsteins to refuse settlement and push this all the way.
Settlements usually result in records being sealed up and made unavailable to the public as part of the terms. This should not happen. Internal documents from college staff need to be made public and visible. Settlement lets the college off the hook far too easily.
Fist pumping stuff. How about Brett Weinstein for POTUS?! If i were American I’d for him.
What’s egregious is that students who engaged in acts of physical intimidation and property destruction will not be held responsible.
I wish every success to Professor Weinstein and his wife, Professor Heying, in their suit against Evergreen State College. I hope they get every penny, plus penalties if possible. No one, professors especially, should ever be treated the way they were by students, faculty, administration or the police. This brings great shame on the state of Washington that I hope they learn from and rectify.
The only way to fight campus censorship is to attack their economic solvency, unfortunately.
Here’s an important test: Will the ACLU come out on the clear side of free speech rights here and support Weinstein?
Actually, I know the answer, and it is a definite no. The ACLU has long ago strayed away from its long-stated principles
Weinstein had mentioned the likelihood of this in his diavlog with Glenn Loury. It seems entirely justified.
I would have sued them as well even as a regular staff member because the school allows for an unsafe environment.
See how nicely things work themselves out?
This was a done deal the moment the administration told Weinstein & Heying they weren’t safe on campus and TESC either couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything to ensure their safety. (The latter, clearly, as campus police were told to stand down.)
You’ve also got a lengthy pattern of tolerating and encouraging abuse and racist comments directed at Weinstein. Very interesting that the electronic correspondence of that vile creature, Naima Lowe, was requested.
This is good. If these universities get hit on their bottom line you can bet they’re more likely to change their policies.
The money is always what counts.
The college’s name is “The Evergreen State College”, not “Evergreen State College”. It is named after the state’s nickname “The Evergreen State”. (Saying “Evergreen” alone is OK, but not “Evergreen State College”.) It’s a common mistake. thanks
Yes I know that and have used TESC in nearly all previous post. I decided to use shorthand this time.
“Day of Departure?”
sub
If it is TESC’s idea that they are somehow advancing social justice, diversity, multiculturalism… I suppose let them do just that. Perhaps any potential future faculty will have been warned now that TESC is not the place for common sense or decency, or respect, or democracy, etc.