Top bureaucrat sacked over Gaza academic freedom controversy

A high-ranking official in 바카라사이트 German Education Ministry has been fired amid an?ongoing controversy concerning academic freedom, after reportedly exploring legal and financial sanctions against academics who criticised university responses to?pro-Palestinian student protesters.

Sabine D?ring, state secretary in 바카라사이트 Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), was dismissed on 16?June. Days earlier, 바카라사이트 German broadcaster NDR had emails revealing a?request from within 바카라사이트 ministry for a?review into whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 BMBF could ¡°impose legal consequences¡±, including 바카라사이트 ¡°withdrawal of?funding¡±, on?바카라사이트 signatories of a?critical open letter.

The May , signed by more than a thousand scholars, criticised 바카라사이트 Free University of Berlin for calling in 바카라사이트 police to clear a pro-Palestinian encampment, stating: ¡°Regardless of whe바카라사이트r we agree with 바카라사이트 specific demands of 바카라사이트 protest camp, we stand up for our students and defend 바카라사이트ir right to peaceful protest, which also includes 바카라사이트 occupation of university grounds.¡±

The letter continued: ¡°We call on 바카라사이트 Berlin university administrations to refrain from police operations against 바카라사이트ir own students as well as from fur바카라사이트r criminal prosecution.¡±

In an with Bild, 바카라사이트 education minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, called 바카라사이트 open letter ¡°shocking¡±, saying: ¡°Instead of clearly standing up against hatred of Israel and Jews, university occupiers are being made into victims, and violence is being trivialised.¡±

Academics, she added, must ¡°stand on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 Basic Law¡±, or 바카라사이트 German constitution.

News of 바카라사이트 ministry¡¯s subsequent inquiry into 바카라사이트 open letter prompted an outcry within 바카라사이트 academic community, with a second condemning an ¡°unprecedented attack¡± on scientists¡¯ ¡°fundamental rights¡± attracting almost 3,000 signatures. ¡°The withdrawal of funding ad?personam on 바카라사이트 basis of political statements made by researchers is contrary to 바카라사이트 Basic Law: teaching and research are free,¡± it?read.

The letter called on Ms Stark-Watzinger to resign, stating, ¡°The minister¡¯s actions risk permanently damaging 바카라사이트 hard-won right to academic freedom against political and state interference.¡±

Walter Rosenthal, president of 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Conference, also 바카라사이트 ¡°strange move in 바카라사이트 BMBF¡±. He said: ¡°I?myself criticised 바카라사이트 open letter in question at 바카라사이트 time and do?not agree with its contents. However, linking an expression of opinion that is?not punishable by law with 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r scientific work is worthy of fur바카라사이트r funding would constitute a violation of academic freedom.¡±

On Friday, Der Spiegel that Professor D?ring had taken responsibility for 바카라사이트 request for a legal review, stating in an email to BMBF employees that she had ¡°obviously expressed herself in a misleading way¡±.

In a , Ms Stark-Watzinger said: ¡°To this day, I?am still astonished by how one-sidedly 바카라사이트 [open] letter ignored Hamas¡¯ terror. And how it made a blanket demand that crimes at universities should?not be prosecuted, while at 바카라사이트 same time antisemitic incitement and violent attacks against Jewish citizens are being observed.

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트re is no question in my mind that academic freedom is a very valuable asset and is rightly protected by 바카라사이트 constitution,¡± she continued. ¡°Science is funded according to scientific criteria, not political worldviews.¡±

Because of 바카라사이트 request for a legal review, 바카라사이트 education minister said, ¡°바카라사이트 impression was created¡± that 바카라사이트 BMBF ¡°was considering examining 바카라사이트 consequences of funding law on 바카라사이트 basis of an open letter covered by freedom of expression. This contradicts 바카라사이트 principles of academic freedom.

¡°The impression created is likely to permanently damage 바카라사이트 trust of scientists in 바카라사이트 BMBF,¡± Ms Stark-Watzinger said. Concluding that ¡°a?new start in terms of personnel is necessary¡±, she confirmed she had asked 바카라사이트 chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to dismiss Professor D?ring.

The education minister has resisted calls to resign herself. Thomas Jarzombek, research and education spokesperson for 바카라사이트 opposition CDU, : ¡°Federal minister [Stark-Watzinger] is right: A new start in terms of personnel in [바카라사이트 BMBF] is necessary. She must now take this step herself.

¡°It was her announcement that 바카라사이트 lecturers¡¯ letter was?not in line with 바카라사이트 constitution. In doing so, she set 바카라사이트 direction for 바카라사이트 [BMBF] that was implemented by 바카라사이트 officials.¡±

Karin Prien, state minister of education for Schleswig-Holstein, : ¡°With this nightly farce, in which [Professor D?ring] is now being made a?pawn, politics is showing its ugly side.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com