“The trouble had started several hours earlier when Buckingham called Patrick to alert him that an A&M professor had made negative comments about him during a guest lecture at UTMB, said Copelin, the A&M system spokesperson. Buckingham then called Jenny Jones, the university system’s vice chancellor for governmental relations.”
Free speech is only okay for the Reich Wing. If you hold Republicans accountable they will try to hurt you.
“Texas A&M would not answer questions about what specific policy Alonzo may have violated with her comments or provide documents pertaining to the investigation, citing state law that allows a university to withhold such information if a person is cleared of wrongdoing.”
Because there IS NO POLICY. Texas A&M is going to fire someone without reason — other than she criticized a public official and he didn’t like it.
This is SERIOUSLY problematic. It also violates some fundamental rights.
A right cannot be removed because you take a job. We do not swear fealty to public officials.
This stinks of authoritarianism and collusion between University officials and right wing politicians.
Needless to say, it is wrong.
Followup to the story:
"Ultimately Texas A&M allowed Alonzo to keep her job after an internal investigation could not confirm any wrongdoing.”
In other words they couldn’t find ANYTHING to show that she violated policy.
But it gets even weirder...
"In a statement, Texas A&M University System spokesperson Laylan Copelin said Sharp’s text to Patrick was a 'typical update,' saying it is not unusual for the chancellor to 'keep elected officials informed when something at Texas A&M might interest them.’"
“Typical update”? Since when do elected officials have veto power over the speech of our University Profs? This MINIMIZATION of State observation of our schools is a little disturbing.
https://news.yahoo.com/texas-m-suspended-professor-accused-100000525.html
Weirder…
NO ONE COULD SAY WHAT SHE SAID THAT WAS OFFENSIVE!
When this happens again, who is to say someone won’t just make something up?
This is very disturbing and very scary.
@feloneouscat I am tired of this f***ing state being run by a bunch of mobsters.
@feloneouscat It is all about the power play. I am sure any hint of putting him in a bad light was enough for him to flex his muscle and try to intimidate her.
@feloneouscat "Farmers fight!"*
* not for academic freedom
@feloneouscat Surely she could sue the University, if not in state courts, then on appeal in federal courts for a tidy sum!
Let's note that they weren't actually able to accomplish more than to pester her, and she's got excellent grounds to sue them for it now.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but higher ed professionals (including and maybe especially researchers) need to leave Texas universities now while other systems are interested.
Oh and SHE should DEFINITELY leave:
"This means the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers Texas a nonreporter when it comes to opioid data, which makes it more difficult for researchers to receive grants to tackle the issue."
“At 4:43 p.m., just 15 minutes after UTMB sent its official censure letter, Jones alerted Patrick’s deputy chief of staff, Marian Wallace, that the investigation was underway.”
There appears to be a structure in place to PREVENT people from criticizing Texas public officials.
But there is also a problem…