Carleton Decision About Students, Not Hassan Diab

As the expression goes, actions speak louder than words. And, in the case of Carleton University and the hiring and subsequent firing of Hassan Diab, what we are witnessing is an ugly example of anti-Semitismin the guise of multiculturalism and an internal university power struggle.

Specifically, as Joanne Laucius of the Ottawa Citizen explains, twenty-two Carleton professors (out of a possible forty-two) attended a meeting this past Thursday afternoon demanding that the university administration reinstate Mr. Diab immediately. Interestingly, since only half the faculty attended the meeting, one can assume the demands of the twenty-two are not unanimous.

What it all means, however, is that some professors — fully tenured or tenure stream — feel that it is their prerogative (along with, one can assume, their union) to hire and fire whom they want and that the university administration has no say in the matter at all.

Can you say entitlement? Since when did academic freedom include the management and accountability of a publicly funded and legislated institution?

In any event, I find the actions of twenty-two of Carleton’s professors both embarrassing and worrying. What are they thinking? It certainly cannot be about their students, some of whom are impressionable, particularly those enrolled in an introductory course.

Been there and done that. I mean, I am a former academic myself and have done my share of teaching introductory sociology courses over the summer. I know exactly how those courses are developed. They are developed by each individual professor — meaning that the readings used and the emphasis taken in lectures and seminars, are decided by the professor, not someone in the Chair’s office.

In other words, what readings did Mr. Diab choose? Were they anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian? Or, did he provide a balance to his themes and discussions? That is what I would like to know and that is what the public has a right to know.

In my opinion, what is especially disappointing is that the professors at Carleton are simply voicing the same line of propaganda as that done earlier by Sid Ryan, the President of Cupeand they should be ashamed.

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