Columbia’s Law Review: No Exams and Free Grades
As a Columbia Law School graduate, I am both disappointed and ashamed that members of Columbia Law Review are too upset to take their finals (“‘We’re too upset for our exams!’,” May 6).
Without whining, most of my classmates were either coming home from or on their way to war. How times have changed — for the worse. Franklin Kavaler
Manhattan
The Columbia law students who are too upset by the campus chaos to take final exams should consider a less rigorous profession.
What will they do at trial if a judge overrules several of their objections or denies their motions in chambers? And what if they’re required to work 80 hours a week as a young associate at a new firm?
Good luck looking for safe spaces, sympathetic firm partners or offers of employment from prestigious law firms. Rosemarie Kaupp
Warrington, Pa.
No, Columbia’s law students are not “whiny.”
Having graduated from Columbia Law School and served as an editor at the Columbia Law Review, I found the latter’s letter to be reasonable, given the circumstances.
Several law students were reportedly battered and arrested after the school’s administration sicced the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group units on them.
I imagine a soon-to-beattorney would find it nearly impossible to complete their final exams when they face the stress of possible legal consequences — all for expressing their First Amendment right to protest. Canceling exams and allowing for a pass/ fail option is the bare minimum.
In fact, Columbia has a lot to make up for after allowing a mob of police officers to attack their students. Craig Knell
Greenwich, Conn.
So the Columbia Law Review wants administrators to cancel law school exams and give all students a pass because the police cleared out the anti-Israel encampment.
Well, here is the endproduct of the everyonegets-a-trophy generation. Is our future doomed? I pray not. Michael Smith
Rockaway Beach
Columbia’s Law students’ request that final exams be canceled shows how out-of-touch and entitled these supposedly intelligent children are.
The recent demonstrations led to many ill-informed protesters occupying and vandalizing buildings. As a result, these brats were hauled off by police.
If the sight of these morons paying for the consequences of their actions is too traumatic for Columbia law students, then I suggest these kids find another profession.
By stating that a pass/ fail option is supported by three-quarters of the students, and therefore should be enacted, the Law Review editors have demonstrated how utterly lost they are.
Students do not have the right to determine how they will be assessed, and should either do as they’re asked or drop out. Matt Shatzer
Dix Hills
Columbia granting a pass/fail option penalizes every student who worked hard to earn their grades instead of breaking into and occupying buildings on campus.
The administrators who supposedly did such a wonderful job dealing with the recent protests should tell these clowns to get lost. Every arrested protester should be expelled and deported to their country of choice.
In fact, a university in Iran is offering scholarships to anyone who participated in the Columbia protests. Alan Swartz
Verona, NJ
These protesting students chose to skip their classes and potential weeks of studying. They should either take an F or ask for a leave of absence. No one is forcing them to go to law school.
Carol Meltzer Manhattan