Search Results for: woke

Chair of Stanford’s Department of Computer Science sends out woke and confusing email affirming his department’s virtue

I’ve spent a lot of time writing and working to try to get colleges and universities—especially mine—to refrain from issuing official political, ideological, or moral statements save under exceptional circumstances.  Freedom of speech is a sine qua non for a decent university, and that goes along with a university not trying to stifle or chill … Continue reading Chair of Stanford’s Department of Computer Science sends out woke and confusing email affirming his department’s virtue

The Washington Post decries the suppression and deplatforming of speech by students

Is a turning point really being reached in the War Against Wokeness?  Every time I read a piece in the mainstream media decrying  the pernicious antics of the Authoritarian Left (one of the terms I use for “the woke”), I think to myself, “Is the tide really turning at long last?” Well, it’s not going … Continue reading The Washington Post decries the suppression and deplatforming of speech by students

FIRE’s new college free-speech rankings: Chicago plummets to #13, but many “elite” schools are at the bottom, with Harvard, rated “abysmal”, holding down last place

For a long time, The University of Chicago has been in the top 5 schools in the “free-speech” rankings of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Last year we were #1, and our average ranking has been #4. This, plus the fact that over 85 schools have adopted a version of Chicago’s “free … Continue reading FIRE’s new college free-speech rankings: Chicago plummets to #13, but many “elite” schools are at the bottom, with Harvard, rated “abysmal”, holding down last place

Head of the ACLU makes a mockery of free speech at a Princeton orientation event designed to promote free speech

According to the conservative National Review, Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), didn’t exactly adhere to his organization’s principles (i.e., “defend the civil liberties of all Americans”) when he gave a talk on free speech at a mandatory first-year orientation event at Princeton University. Author Matthew Wilson, who attended the … Continue reading Head of the ACLU makes a mockery of free speech at a Princeton orientation event designed to promote free speech

Impediments to speaking freely in New Zealand academia

The article below, published in NZ’s Stuff magazine, summarizes a big yearly survey taken by the country’s Free Speech Unions (find the big survey here or here, click the FSU icon below, or ask for a pdf). The upshot is that Kiwi academics often have difficulty saying what’s on their mind for fear of ostracism or … Continue reading Impediments to speaking freely in New Zealand academia

Fareed Zakaria decries the movement to make academic merit less important than identity and diversity

Not too long ago, a large group of us published an article in Peter Singer’s Journal of Controversial Ideas, “In defense of merit in science“. The point was that both science and scientists should be judged by merit alone rather than by identity, equity, or other ideological considerations.  To publicize the piece and defend it … Continue reading Fareed Zakaria decries the movement to make academic merit less important than identity and diversity

Our College Dean responds to threats and calls for cancellation of a class on the “Problem of Whiteness”

On November 9 I described a proposed University of Chicago course, “The Problem of Whiteness”, to be taught under the aegis of CRES (“Critical Race and Ethnic Studies”). The course was brought to national attention—publicized, as usual, by right-wing venues like this one—via the tweets of one of our undergraduates: The course description describes whiteness … Continue reading Our College Dean responds to threats and calls for cancellation of a class on the “Problem of Whiteness”

Alumni begin withholding donations from universities that suppress free speech or disinvite speakers

This article from the “Education” section of the Wall Street Journal is heartening to free-speech advocates like me—and, I hope, us. It turns out that the suppression of speech or disinvitations of speakers on college campuses is beginning to hurt universities where it matters: in their pocketbooks. Increasingly, donors are withholding money to pressure schools … Continue reading Alumni begin withholding donations from universities that suppress free speech or disinvite speakers