George Washington University, the college which employs Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as an adjunct professor of law, has rejected an appeal from students to fire Thomas over his role in reversing Roe v. Wade.
The petition also cited Thomas’ stance on other Supreme Court cases that may be reevaluated, including those concerning homosexual marriage and contraception.
“With the recent Supreme Court decision that has stripped the right to bodily autonomy of people with wombs and with his explicit intention to further strip the rights of queer people and remove the ability for people to practice safe sex without fear of pregnancy, it is evident that the employment of Clarence Thomas at George Washington University is completely unacceptable,” the petition read.
“Judge Thomas is actively making life unsafe for thousands of students on our campus (not to mention thousands of campuses across the country). Make your voice heard and help us kick Clarence Thomas out of Foggy Bottom.”
However, George Washington University responded to the petition, shutting down the possibility of Thomas’ removal.
“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 school wrote in an email to students.
“Just as we affirm our commitment to academic freedom, we affirm the right of all members of our community to voice their opinions and contribute to the critical discussion that are foundational to our academic mission,” it continued.
The message also stated that Thomas’ views were not reflected by the university.
“For many of us in teaching at various schools, these cancel campaigns have become a constant, looming threat,” Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar at George Washington University, told the Washington Examiner.
“The GW petition reflects a growing intolerance and orthodoxy that is sweeping across universities. It is gratifying to see GW standing firm on free speech and academic freedom. Yet the rising intolerance on America’s campuses will not be halted until faculty and students affirmatively fight for greater diversity of viewpoints and values,” he concluded.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.
