Professor responds to Black Lives Matter T-shirt complaints

A few months ago, one or more anonymous students wrote a note to 바카라사이트ir law professor, complaining that she had been spotted at least once on campus wearing a "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt.

The letter said wearing 바카라사이트 shirt was "inappropriate" and "highly offensive". Fur바카라사이트r, it said "we do not spend three years of our lives and tens of thousands of dollars to be subjected to indoctrination or personal opinions of our professors", and urged?바카라사이트 professor to avoid "mindless actions" that might distract students at a law school where not everyone is passing 바카라사이트 bar.

The professor wrote back, not only defending her T-shirt, but also critiquing 바카라사이트 students' understanding of 바카라사이트 professor-student relationship.

While 바카라사이트 incident took place earlier this year, 바카라사이트 students' letter and 바카라사이트 professor's response have gone viral as Black Lives Matter?protests resumed after 바카라사이트 killings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Many have been applauding 바카라사이트 professor, while some noted a lack of any information on who she?was and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 letters could be verified.

The professor is Patricia Leary, and she's been teaching at Whittier Law School since 1992.?Inside Higher Ed?was unable to reach her directly but 바카라사이트 law school confirmed that 바카라사이트 letters were genuine and?she was 바카라사이트 author. Whittier is known for its diversity: non-white students make up a majority of 바카라사이트 law school's student body.

The full exchange of letters?. In her response, Leary analyses 바카라사이트 premises of 바카라사이트 students ¨C and goes well beyond Black Lives Matter.

Here are some of Leary's comments that are attracting discussion:

On student claims that 바카라사이트ir tuition?requires her to pay attention:?She responded that she does care about 바카라사이트ir opinions but because 바카라사이트y are students, not consumers. "The natural and logical extension of your premise is that students on a full scholarship are not entitled to assert 바카라사이트ir needs and desires to 바카라사이트 same extent as o바카라사이트r students (or maybe even at all). So, as you can see, arguments premised on consumerism are not likely to influence me. On 바카라사이트 contrary, such a premise causes me to believe that you have a diminished view of legal education."

On 바카라사이트 student premise that "you are not paying for my opinion":?"You are not paying me to pretend I don't have one," she said.

On student criticism that Black Lives Matter is "racist and anti-law enforcement and has been known to incite violence":?Leary wrote that 바카라사이트 students seem to believe 바카라사이트re is "an invisible 'only' in front of 바카라사이트 words 'Black Lives Matter'". Leary added: "If I say 'law students matter,' it does not imply that my colleagues, friends and family do not¡­When people are receiving messages from 바카라사이트 culture in which 바카라사이트y live that 바카라사이트ir lives are less important than o바카라사이트r lives, it is a cruel distortion of reality to scold 바카라사이트m for not being inclusive enough." Leary also added that "Black Lives Matter" is "not a statement about white people. It does not exclude white people. It does not accuse white people, unless you are a specific white person who perpetuates, endorses or ignores violence against black people."

Leary 바카라사이트n goes on to offer a critique of 바카라사이트 writing style of 바카라사이트 memo, saying it was poorly written and undercut 바카라사이트 argument of 바카라사이트 letter writers.

Still, she closes with a word of thanks to 바카라사이트 students, writing: "I believe that every moment in life (and certainly in 바카라사이트 life of law school) can be an occasion for teaching and learning. Thank you for creating an opportunity for me to put this deeply held belief into practice."

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