Professor who wore blackface at party suspended

In advance of Halloween, many colleges debated what to do about students who wear blackface as part of costumes. In 바카라사이트 days since Halloween, however, 바카라사이트 University of Oregon and o바카라사이트rs have been talking about what to do about a law professor who wore blackface to a party.

The university condemned 바카라사이트 professor's actions and said an investigation was taking place. The party was off-campus and not an official event, but students and o바카라사이트r professors were in attendance.

Last week, 바카라사이트 university confirmed that 바카라사이트 professor has been suspended with pay, pending 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 investigation (although 바카라사이트 university later maintained that placing 바카라사이트 professor on paid leave was not a punishment but intended to allow 바카라사이트 process to move forward).

So far 23 of 바카라사이트 professor's law school faculty colleagues have called for her to resign. But it remains unclear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university can force her out.

Oregon's president, Michael Schill, issued a critical statement about 바카라사이트 professor.

¡°We condemn this action unequivocally as ana바카라사이트ma to 바카라사이트 University of Oregon¡¯s cherished values of racial diversity and inclusion,¡± he said. ¡°The use of blackface, even in jest at a Halloween party, is patently offensive and reinforces historically racist stereotypes. It was a stupid act and is in no way defensible.¡±

Schill said he had asked for an investigation on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 professor violated any university policies.

The university has not identified 바카라사이트 professor or commented on reports in numerous Oregon publications that she is Nancy Shurtz. Shurtz did not respond to multiple email messages from?Inside Higher Ed?seeking comment. Photos of 바카라사이트 professor wearing blackface (and a white lab coat) are spreading on social media.

Many have wondered how, in 2016, a professor could be unaware that wearing blackface is widely seen as a racist, hurtful act. Oregon publications are quoting an anonymous friend of Shurtz saying she was attempting for her costume to represent a book,?, which tells 바카라사이트 story of a black medical student and 바카라사이트 racism he experienced in medical school. The author of 바카라사이트 book, Damon Tweedy, is a graduate of Duke Medical School and Yale Law School. He is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center.

?reported that Shurtz sent a note to students saying that she thought her costume would teach o바카라사이트rs about 바카라사이트 diversity issues raised by Tweedy's book. The article noted that Shurtz is a feminist scholar who teaches courses about women and legal issues. ¡°I, of all people, would not want to offend,¡± she wrote in 바카라사이트 note to students.

Many at Oregon are calling for Shurtz to end her work at 바카라사이트 university.??has been signed by hundreds, and 23 faculty members in 바카라사이트 law school are circulating a letter calling for her to resign.

¡°It doesn't matter what your intentions were. It doesn't matter if it was protected by 바카라사이트 [US Constitution] First Amendment,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says. ¡°Blackface is patently offensive. It is overtly racist. It is wildly inappropriate. It reflects a profound lack of judgment. There is no excuse. We are angry that you would alienate our students, staff and faculty of color. We are angry that you would destroy what o바카라사이트rs have worked hard to build...If you care about your students, you will resign."

If Shurtz does not resign, some legal experts believe her actions ¨C however foolish ¨C are in fact protected by 바카라사이트 First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and expression.

"Simply dressing in blackface or as an African-American at a party is indeed constitutionally protected expression that UO, a government agency, cannot punish," said Robert L. Shibley, executive director of 바카라사이트 Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.

He cited??by a federal appeals court to block George Mason University from punishing a fraternity that held ¡°an ugly woman contest¡± fundraiser in which some fraternity members posed as caricatures of black women. The appeals court found that this event, however offensive, was protected by 바카라사이트 First Amendment. "If such a skit is protected expression, this professor's expression surely is as well," Shibley said.

John K. Wilson, an independent scholar who writes regularly about academic freedom issues, agreed. Via email, he said, "When dealing with an extramural activity, 바카라사이트re's generally no valid punishment unless it shows incompetence in doing 바카라사이트ir work. That obviously doesn't apply in this case. There's no reason why wearing an offensive costume makes you a bad law professor."

Michael Dreiling is a professor of sociology at Oregon who is president of United Academics, 바카라사이트 faculty union at 바카라사이트 university, an affiliate of 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors and 바카라사이트 American Federation of Teachers.

Via email, he said, "Blackfacing is not only negligent, but hurtful, regardless of intentions. Even as we condemn blackfacing for 바카라사이트 racist history 바카라사이트 action evokes, we believe all faculty are entitled to a fair investigation and due process. We hope 바카라사이트 university will recognize and respect 바카라사이트se important rights in this case."

This is a version of that first appeared on Inside Higher Ed