Indiana U says it can't fire prof who made 'racist, sexist and homophobic' remarks

Transcript

Mandy Novicoff says she's "shocked and disgusted" by an Indiana University professor's disparaging remarks about women, gay men and students of colour, but she stands by her school's decision not to fire him.

The school has condemned Eric Rasmusen's social media remarks as "racist, sexist, and homophobic," but says firing him would be a violation of his First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

Instead, it made his classes non-mandatory, and is offering a blind grading system to protect his students from potential bias.

"The First Amendment right is so vital in our country. Due to the First Amendment, he does have the right to continue to teach," Mandy Novicoff, president of Indiana University's Women in Business organization, told As It Happens host Carol Off. 

"That doesn't mean that I feel good about it. Obviously, I don't agree with what he's saying."

Rasmusen has stood by his comments and says the university's response is encouraging bias against "Christian and conservative students." 

'Pernicious and false stereotypes'

Rasmusen, a professor of business economics and public policy, first came under fire this month after he tweeted a quote from an article that said, "geniuses are overwhelmingly male because they combine outlier IQ with moderately low Agreeableness and Moderately low Conscientiousness."

The article titled, "Are Women Destroying Academia? Probably" was published by The Unz Review, which describes itself as a publication that presents "controversial perspectives largely excluded from the American mainstream media."

People then started digging up other remarks from his social media accounts and personal website.

Among other things, he called a woman who had an extramarital affair a "s--t," stated his opposition to affirmative action, and said gay men shouldn't teach Kindergarten through Grade 12 because they are "promiscuous" and abuse students.

In an online statement, the university's executive vice-president and provost Lauren Robel condemned the comments as "pernicious and false stereotypes" that are "racist, sexist, and homophobic."

Idie Kesner, the dean of the business school, wrote that Rasmusen "demonstrates a lack of tolerance and respect for women as well as for racial diversity and diversity in sexual orientation."

But Robel said the school has no grounds to fire Rasmusen unless he "acted upon his expressed views in the workplace."

Instead, the university says it will allow students to transfer out of his classes, and implement a blind grading system where students can anonymously submit assignments to him. It will also review Rasmusen's courses for influences of bias.

"It does make me feel better that people could remove themselves from this environment," Novicoff said. "I personally would never take his class."

Professor stands by statements 

Rasmusen, meanwhile, penned a lengthy response on his personal website, in which he doubled down on his views.

He defended his use of the word "s--t," saying: "I do not think it is misogynistic to speak strongly against women who steal other women's husbands."

He called affirmative action "corrupt" and stood by his position that gay men should only be allowed to teach at the college level and up because "the students are older and better able to protect themselves."

He also took issue with the blind grading system being implemented exclusively in his classes.

"Indiana University is not discouraging bias, but encouraging it, even requiring it, as a condition of teaching," he said.

"There are views you're not supposed to express, even outside of class, and God help the conservative student whose professor checks Facebook and Twitter before grading term papers."

'Female geniuses' 

Novicoff says she supports the professor's freedom of speech — but noted that students who oppose him have the same constitutional right. 

"It is unfortunate that he's choosing to use his First Amendment right to say these incredibly offensive things, and it's disturbing that he chooses to use his power to create this sort of environment," she said. "But I want to keep my First Amendment right as well."

In response to his tweet about women in academia, she and her Women in Business colleagues are selling shirts that say "Female Genius" with proceeds going to Girls Inc., an organization that advocates for "legislation and policies to increase opportunities and rights for all girls."

"I wanted to disagree in the most inspiring and positive way possible so we could rise above this negativity," Novicoff  said.

"I know people have bought hoodies from coast to coast, so honestly seeing the support and encouragement during this whole terrible situation has really given me hope."

Written by Sheena Goodyear with files from The Associated Press. Interview with Mandy Novicoff produced by Morgan Passi.