Freedom of Speech

But not that speech.

The video, which does not show anyone’s face, captures audio of a student objecting to a professor teaching that there are more than two genders. The student says this conflicts with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order and her religious beliefs, and the professor responds she has a right to teach the lesson and the student has a right to leave. 

The student clearly set the professor up. She had not "won" in the previous class, when who knows what she said; so she came back with a camera and a specific script. It's not "legal" to teach that trans people exist. Not legal.

The university caved and fired the professor. Of course they did.

When I was in the classroom, I had more than one student run whining to my chair and to the dean because I taught things they didn't like -- for example, that the Catholic church existed before the Protestant church. Or that the world was four and a half billion years old and that learning this fact upset some people during the Modernist era. These were taught as part of the Global Literature class.

I also had a student complain to the chair and to the dean because I assigned a book that had "bad" words in it. (Angels in America.) Another time, as student complained because I assigned a James Baldwin story which was (the student said) against her religion. (The story was "Sonny's Blues.") 

In all these cases, the chair and the dean backed me up. That would not happen in today's climate.

Let's be clear: if people can be fired for speaking about trans people, then people can be fired for speaking about anything which is not approved by the party in power. Talking about black people. Or Jews. Or Palestinians. Or feminists, or Quakers, or any group not in favor at the moment. 

As P. Z. Myers notes, the world's top university system is being destroyed, and for what? So a herd of whiny little "Christians" don't have to admit that trans people exist, or brown people are people, or that women have rights. It's disgusting.

(Scare quoted because these "Christians" aren't Christian, in that they don't follow Christ. They're Romans, and if they met Christ today, they would execute him. No, not really. They're not brave enough for that. They'd have ICE deport him and talk about what patriots they are for doing so.)

The video is posted on X/Twitter.
https://x.com/brianeharrison/status/1965093848520294565

If you don't want to give X/Twitter your click, below is the transcript:

Prof: Kind of recap our remarks on gender and sexuality we bring from last class. One thing we didn’t get to last class -

Student: I just have a question because I’m not entirely sure this is legal to be teaching. Um. Because according to our president, um, there’s only two genders and he said he would freeze um, uh, agencies' funding programs that promote gender ideology. Um, and this also very much goes against I, not only myself, but a lot of people’s religious beliefs. Um, and so I am not going to participate in this because, um, it’s, it’s not legal and I don’t want to promote something that is, um, against our president’s laws as well as against my religious beliefs.

Prof: You certainly have a right to engaging in things that find [unable to hear]. Are you suggesting they are false?

Student: Yes

Prof: You are under a misconception that what I’m saying is illegal.

Student: Uh, can you explain to me how, um, how teaching us, um, about gender identity and transgenderism and, um, and there’s more sexes 

Prof: My gender isn’t illegal.

Student: Huh?

Prof: My gender isn’t illegal.

Student: Gender? What do you mean? Your gender is not illegal? According to President Trump’s executive order. If, if you want me to read the paragraph and the order itself...

Prof: If you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave.

Student: Yes.

Prof: What we are doing is not illegal. And if you would like to make the claim that it is, you need to talk to the department head or the head of undergraduates.

Student: Well I’ve already been in contact with, um, the president of A&M and actually have a meeting with him in person to show all of my documentation tomorrow. But, um...

Prof: We are also aware and this is part of why there was an observer in class yesterday.

Student: Yes.

Prof: Um, I’m not convinced that your proposal will be effective in stopping me from teaching things that are biologically true because I do have the legal and ethical authority and professional expertise in this classroom.

Student: Okay.

Prof: And it’s time for you to leave.

Student: Yeah. No, I am. I am. I.