Baylor students tried to cancel professor over transgender comments. They failed miserably.
One university provost is coming to the defense of a lecturer who was criticized for a tweet on President Joe Biden's executive order concerning shared spaces based on gender.
The Baylor University provost wrote that "the protection of free speech by individual faculty members is vital."
Baylor University Provost Nancy Brickhouse is defending a lecturer’s freedom of speech after questioning President Joe Biden’s executive orders, especially one concerned with the shared spaces based on gender.
In late January, Christina Crenshaw, a lecturer at Baylor University, responded to a tweet about Biden’s executive orders, a comment for which she faced a great deal of criticism.
”What if I don’t want biological boys in the bathroom with my biological daughter?” Crenshaw asked. “Do the 99% of us who do not struggle with gender dysphoria have a voice? No? Cool.”
Brickhouse defended the lecturer in an opinion editorial for the Baylor Lariat. Brickhouse wrote that Crenshaw’s tweet has put the university community in a “conflict” between faculty and students who have “differing views.” The tweet, according to Brickhouse, ultimately led to students reporting Crenshaw “to Baylor administrative offices.”
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The provost said that while instances of disagreement “are not unusual” on college campuses, Baylor places a “high priority” on “creating and fostering a community that people from all backgrounds will find welcoming and supportive.”
Brickhouse added that “the protection of free speech by individual faculty members is vital,” and wrote that “is not being investigated and will not be punished in any manner for sharing her opinions on her personal Twitter account because it did not violate any University policies.”
The provost even criticized the student newspaper for its coverage on Crenshaw’s tweet, stating that it “has likely had a negative impact on the character of discourse at Baylor.”
In its initial coverage of Crenshaw’s tweet, The Baylor Lariat described the tweet as “transphobic,” which was later retracted. The student newspaper apologized for “unfairly labeling [Crenshaw’s] tweets.”
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”There are many issues on which we, as individuals, will differ. We may encounter views and opinions that we personally disagree with or even find offensive. When this happens, we must seek to interact with one another in a spirit of Christian fellowship and learn from one another through civilly discussing and exploring our areas of disagreement,” Brickhouse wrote. We may not always find common ground, but we will avoid the unhealthy consequences of succumbing to the temptations of attacking and lashing out at perceived enemies.”
Baylor spokesperson Jason Cook told Campus Reform that “Baylor University supports the First Amendment and the ideals of academic freedom.”
Tyson Langhofer, Senior Counsel and Director of the Center for Academic Freedom at Alliance Defending Freedom told Campus Reform that the statement is a sign of encouragement.
“The statement issued by the Baylor University provost is an encouraging sign in the era of cancel culture,” Langhofer said.
Langhofer added that the protection of viewpoints is a critical part of higher education.
”Protecting this diversity of viewpoints is critical to higher education – where everyone should be free to peacefully express their views. Other colleges and universities should follow Baylor’s example in defending the First Amendment on campus and allowing the free and open exchange of ideas to thrive,” Langhofer told Campus Reform.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @ajmunguia23
