NEW: GW supports Clarence Thomas teaching at law school
Campus Reform Correspondent Tahmineh Dehbozorgi, a law student at GWU, appeared on Fox News to discuss the undergraduate petition calling for Thomas' removal and the university's email of support.
The email, signed by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the GW Law Dean, confirmed that GWU remains committed to respecting academic freedom and free expression.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will not be ousted from his teaching position at George Washington University (GWU) School of Law, university officials confirmed in a campus-wide email Tuesday.
The email followed a student-led movement to revoke Thomas’ employment due to his concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24.
Campus Reform Correspondent Tahmineh Dehbozorgi, a law student at GWU, appeared on Fox & Friends Wednesday to discuss the undergraduate petition calling for Thomas’ removal and the subsequent university email.
The petition has garnered over 7,000 signatures at the time of publishing this article.
The email was signed by Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Christopher Alan Bracey and GW Law Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew, who confirmed that GWU remains committed to respecting academic freedom and free expression.
[RELATED: Students want to remove Clarence Thomas from law school teaching position]
“Because we steadfastly support the robust exchange of ideas and deliberation, and because debate is an essential part of our university’s academic and educational mission to train future leaders who are prepared to address the world’s most urgent problems, the university will neither terminate Justice Thomas’ employment nor cancel his class in response to his legal opinions,” the administrators wrote.
Commending the university for its decision to stand behind Thomas, the GW College Republicans told Campus Reform:
”GW College Republicans applauds the University’s announcement [Tuesday] and their commitment to diversity of thought.We deeply agree with the University’s opinion that it is not their role to shield students from ideas they might disagree with. The free exchange of ideas is integral to our society and to our education. We look forward to the University continuing to uphold its mission of academic freedom.”
In his concurring opinion, Thomas argued for reconsidering the precedent set by substantive due process. The letter acknowledged Thomas as a “consistent critic” of the philosophy.
[RELATED: BREAKING: Pro-life activists celebrate outside Supreme Court]
“Justice Thomas’ views do not represent the views of either the George Washington University or its Law School,” the administrators assured. However, “like all faculty members at our university, Justice Thomas has academic freedom and freedom of expression and inquiry.”
Thomas joined the faculty in 2011 and remains a Professorial Lecturer in Law. He is scheduled to co-teach the upper-level course ”Constitutional Law Seminar: Leading Cases in Context ‘’ this fall semester.
Campus Reform has contacted George Washington University, Provost and Executive Vice President Bracey, Dean Matthew, and Justice Thomas for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
Follow @Alexaschwerha1 on Twitter
