Search Results for: Lopez Prater

The AAUP rebukes Hamline University for academic mistreatment of a professor

I’ve discussed “Muhammadgate” at Hamline University quite a few times before, and, at any rate, the details are given in the update below from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP; click on screenshot) and especially in the AAUP’s report here and pdf here.  In short, in June, 2022, an adjunct professor of art history, Erika … Continue reading The AAUP rebukes Hamline University for academic mistreatment of a professor

Hamline University refuses to admit that they screwed up by firing an instructor who showed a picture of Muhammad’s face

I wrote ten posts on the 2022 “Muhammadgate” controversy at Hamline University, a small liberal arts school in St. Paul, Minnesota.  There’s now a new development, and it doesn’t look good for the administration of Hamline (see screenshot below).  Let me refresh you briefly on what happened. 1.) An instructor, since identified as Erika López … Continue reading Hamline University refuses to admit that they screwed up by firing an instructor who showed a picture of Muhammad’s face

Minnesota art-history faculty, as well as a Muslim organization, support fired instructor who showed her class a painting with Muhammad’s face (and a new video with the instructor)

As I’ve written about several times, Erika López Prater, an instructor at Hamline University in Minnesota, was fired by the school for showing a 14th-century image of Muhammad’s face in her art-history survey course. (She also showed a painting of the Prophet with his face veiled but rest of his body complete). The instructor warned … Continue reading Minnesota art-history faculty, as well as a Muslim organization, support fired instructor who showed her class a painting with Muhammad’s face (and a new video with the instructor)

In wake of controversy over showing images of Muhammad, and a faculty vote of no confidence, the president of Hamline University “retires”

If you read this site you almost certainly remember the controversy beginning in late December, 2022 at Hamline University, a small liberal-arts school in Minnesota. I wrote several times about what ensued when an art-history teacher,  Erika López Prater, showed her class two images of Muhammad depicted as a person. One, very famous (below), showed … Continue reading In wake of controversy over showing images of Muhammad, and a faculty vote of no confidence, the president of Hamline University “retires”

Hamline University reconsiders its stand on academic freedom; fired instructor sues the school

At the same time, academic freedom does not operate in a vacuum. It is subject to the dictates of society and the laws governing certain types of behavior. Imara Scott, in an April 2022 article published in Inside Higher Ed, noted that “academic freedom, like so many ideological principles, can be manipulated, misunderstood, and misrepresented…academic … Continue reading Hamline University reconsiders its stand on academic freedom; fired instructor sues the school

The NYT finally writes about the Hamline University/Muhammad story, and Kenan Malik offers his take

“Respect for the observant Muslim students in that classroom should have superceded academic freedom.” —Fayneese Miller, President, Hamline University And so Hamline University joins the Big Two of other liberal-arts schools that have embarrassed themselves via the administration’s defense of the indefensible: The Evergreen State College and Oberlin College. Evergreen defended thuggish students who were … Continue reading The NYT finally writes about the Hamline University/Muhammad story, and Kenan Malik offers his take

A note from FIRE on Hamline fracas, and a site where you can write to the University’s president.

I just wanted to pass along this email I got from FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), for it contains a link to a page where you can sent an email directly to Hamline’s President Fayneese Miller about the Islamic painting fracas that prioritized faux blasphemy and faux offense over academic freedom. I … Continue reading A note from FIRE on Hamline fracas, and a site where you can write to the University’s president.

Hamline University faculty calls for their President to resign

I saw this tweet early this morning, and was surprised (Hamline University is a small—ca. 2000 student—private liberal arts school in St. Paul, Minnesota: BREAKING: At an all-faculty meeting at Hamline today, 86 percent of full-time professors voted to ask President Fayneese Miller to resign. Will update @SahanJournal https://t.co/ZnTIn5qHBW — Becky Zosia Dernbach (@bzosiad) January … Continue reading Hamline University faculty calls for their President to resign

Chronicle: DEI erodes academic freedom

For a while I’ve been making the obvious point that free speech (or academic freedom) and “inclusivity” don’t always go hand in hand. In fact, that’s exactly what you should expect, for free speech and academic freedom guarantee that some people will be offended, and the offended are clearly not “included.”  Likewise, the compelled speech … Continue reading Chronicle: DEI erodes academic freedom

Wednesday: Hili Dialogue

Welcome to a Hump Day (“Dia de gepa” in Basque): January 11, 2023. It’s National Hot Toddy Day, celebrating the hot whisky drink, usually with honey, lemon, and spices. According to Wikipedia, the origin of the name is Indian: The word toddy comes from the toddy drink in India, produced by fermenting the sap of palm trees. Its earliest known use to … Continue reading Wednesday: Hili Dialogue