Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Law school dean fired for liberal ‘political views.’

Just as I was explaining how powerful a tool email is for expressing ourselves, this happens. From thinkprogress.org:

Law school dean fired for liberal ‘political views.’
About a week ago, the new law school at the University of California at Irvine hired Erwin Chemerinsky, a well-known constitutional scholar, as the school’s inaugural Dean. But yesterday, Michael V. Drake, Irvine’s chancellor, fired him, “saying that he had not been aware of how Chemerinsky’s political views would make him a target for criticism from conservatives.” Chemerinsky confirmed his firing to the Wall Street Journal today:
The chancellor “said he hadn’t expected that I would be such a target for conservatives, a lightning rod. It’s clear that significant opposition developed,” though the chancellor didn’t specify where it was coming from. […]
“Obviously I’m sad because it’s something I was excit[ed] about. I’m angry because I don’t believe anyone liberal or conservative should be denied a position like this because of political views.”

(HT: Atrios)
UPDATE: The LA Times notes that April 2005, Chemerinsky “was named one of ‘the top 20 legal thinkers in America’ by Legal Affairs magazine.” 3:57 pm

If you're reading this and fuming, email the Chancellor at chancellor@uci.edu and let him know it's unacceptable to fire someone who is qualified simply because they are a liberal and some people wouldn't like that. I hate to even bring this up, but the Chancellor is a person of color. And HE fired someone for a reason other than their qualifications. Maybe someone can send me an example of a conservative being fired for his political views. I'm sure the silence will be deafening.

No comments: