Conservative Florida college may have shown 'callous indifference' in firing popular professor: report

23 June 2023

Professor Erik Wallenberg's contract will not be renewed next year, and First Amendment rights advocates believe he may not be at fault, Miami New Times reports.

Over the last several months, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has intentionally strived to turn the New College of Florida into his "far-right MAGA" playground — "which many Florida Democrats regard as a 'hostile takeover' of the liberal arts college."

Wallenberg was a visiting history professor at the school until, according to New Times, Florida Governor "Ron DeSantis' hand-picked college board member Christopher Rufo professed that the school 'will no longer be a jobs program for middling, left-wing intellectuals,'" via Twitter.

New Timesreports:

Wallenberg had been a staunch critic of DeSantis' conservative overhaul of the New College board of trustees, and he invited prominent Black history professor Marvin Dunn, an outspoken DeSantis detractor, to lecture his students. As it happened, Wallenberg also taught a history-of-racism class that didn't quite align with the governor's attempts to stop schools from teaching about systemic prejudice in American institutions.

The report also notes:

Alongside professor Debarati Biswas, he penned a March 2023 op-ed in Teen Vogue titled, 'New College of Florida: the Conservative Christian Takeover by Ron DeSantis, Chris Rufo,' skewering DeSantis' newly appointed board members and the governor's education agenda.

After the Teen Vogue article was published, Rufo posted screenshots of the two teachers' résumés and wrote, 'Pure left-wing Mad Libs. Luckily, both are visiting professors.'

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)'s director of campus rights, Alex Morey, believes "Rufo's tweets suggest Wallenberg's personal views about the takeover of the small liberal arts college played a part in the decision not to renew his contract," saying the far-right school leader "seems to want the public to believe New College is ousting Wallenberg precisely because of his views."

New College interim President Richard Corcoran, according to the report, "did not provide a concrete reason for Wallenberg's removal but argues Rufo is not involved in any 'minor HR decisions," claiming "several faculty members still employed have publicly disagreed with the administration and board."

However, Morey emphasized "How administrators and trustees at public colleges exercise their powers and responsibilities is a matter of public concern with legal ramifications, and New College's response does not clarify whether the basis for its decisions are lawful."

Upon sharing news that Wallenberg would not be returning, Rufo tweeted the school is "reviving the great classical liberal arts tradition and setting a new standard for public education, adding, "I wish professor Wallenberg well and hope his work on 'radical theatre and environmental movements' finds a more suitable home.

The conservative activist also said, "It is a privilege, not a right, to be employed by a taxpayer-funded university."

FIRE, which "advocates for teachers' rights," argues the university employees possess the 'right to speak as private citizens on matters of public concern, including on the functioning of a public college," which is why Wallenberg shared with New Times last month he is "considering submitting a grievance through the union," although he "has not filed any legal action in court against New College or the State of Florida."

The organization's letter to Corcoran states "public college trustees like Rufo have the right to voice their concerns and criticisms, but they cannot use their power to ban ideas with which they disagree," warning "public school leaders who show 'reckless or callous indifference' to established constitutional rights can be stripped of their immunity and held liable for monetary damages."

Miami New Times' full report is available at this link.

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