Wilfrid Laurier profs issue call for free speech
WATERLOO — A group of Wilfrid Laurier professors are calling on the university to adopt a resolution for freedom of expression.
The call comes in response to widespread criticism over the recent censure of a teaching assistant by university staff.
In a Wednesday news release, four professors — with the support of the teaching assistant, 22-year-old graduate student Lindsay Shepherd — say the university must maximize “freedom of expression on campus within the bounds of the law and operations of the university.”
“What we’ve seen our administration offer so far in its treatment of Lindsay Shepherd suggests to us that it does not believe freedom of expression and
freedom of inquiry is the primary function of a university, and that worries us,” said religion and culture professor David Millard Haskell, listed as spokesperson on the release
The professors want the university to adopt a freedom of expression statement modelled on one developed by the University of Chicago and other universities stateside.
A petition has also been created online by the professors, with the “Wilfrid Laurier University Statement of Principles on Freedom of Expression” being proposed.
Haskell said the petition is a direct response to the handling of the Shepherd case.
The teaching assistant was chastised by Laurier officials after showing students a video clip of a debate on TVO’s public affairs program, “The Agenda,” about the use of gendered pronouns.
The TVO segment featured controversial University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson, who objects to having to use what he says are “made-up” gender-neutral pronouns such as “ze” instead of “he” or “she.”
The clip also showed University of Toronto professor Nicholas Matte countering Peterson’s position.
Shepherd has explained that her class had a “friendly” discussion about the clip — but one or more students complained about the material.
As a result, Shepherd was called into a meeting with her supervisor, Prof. Nathan Rambukkana, as well as Prof. Herbert Pimlott and diversity and equity official Adria Joel.
During the meeting, which Shepherd recorded, she was accused of “causing harm to trans students” and “creating a toxic climate” in her classroom.
Rambukkana said her presentation was similar to “neutrally playing a speech by Hitler.”
On Tuesday, school president Deborah MacLatchy and Rambukkana apologized for their treatment of Shepherd.
Rambukkana said he has since rethought many of the positions he took during the meeting and expressed regret he “didn’t do enough to try to support” her during the meeting.
MacLatchy said she would strike a task force to explore how to encourage and protect principles such as academic freedom, critical thought, free speech and civil debate.
Shepherd said Wednesday she supports Laurier adopting the statement proposed by Haskell along with business and economics professor William McNally; digital media and journalism professor Simon Kiss; and human rights and human diversity professor Andrew Robinson.