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Naval Academy Professor Sues Navy Over Free Speech | |
2015-11-14 | |
[Mil.com]ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A civilian professor at the U.S. Naval Academy is suing the Navy, accusing it of violating his First Amendment right to free speech and chilling academic freedom. Attorneys for Bruce Fleming said Thursday that the professor was denied merit pay and $7,000 in summer funding based on a 2014 reprimand. It stemmed from a 2013 classroom discussion, when Fleming prompted his students to consider the academy's sexual assault program and the potentially one-sided burdens it put on men, at a time when the academy was part of the national debate over how to stop sexual assault in the military. But professor, a "one-sided burden on men" is the desired government and progressive outcome. "Professor Fleming's speech touched on matters of significant public concern, and not only private concern," the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore said. "His statements were made for legitimate pedagogical purposes, and fall within the core of the First Amendment's protection of academic freedom." So he was fined $7000. for his beliefs ? Cmdr. John Schofield, a spokesman for the academy, declined to comment on an ongoing legal matter. Two female students disagreed with Fleming's comments in class. After Fleming sent emails to them and other students about what was said, the two students complained to sexual assault prevention officials. Fleming was cleared in an initial investigation. A second investigation by a more senior academy official led to the reprimand. It found the professor's initiation of conduct cases against the two students amounted to retaliation. "Academic freedom does not afford a faculty member the right to use the classroom as a bully pulpit for his or her own social, cultural, and political views unconnected to the course material," wrote Col. Paul Montanus.
The lawsuit disputes a finding by the academy that characterized the actions of the female midshipmen in complaining to sexual assault prevention officials as seeking guidance. Instead, the lawsuit alleges complaints lodged with the sexual assault prevention office "were made in bad faith and with the specific intent to have the academy censor and punish Professor Fleming for daring to criticize the (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program.)" Fleming has been an English professor at the academy for more than 29 years. He is known for being an outspoken critic of academy policies. For example, he has criticized the academy's admissions policy relating to athletes and minorities. He can't really believe special treatment is extended athletes and minorities can he ? | |
Posted by:Besoeker |
#6 Sorry, iPad explodes when I try to link. Fred has been trying to find that bug, which crept in in the last upgrade, but has thus far been unsuccessful. I just type it manually. Within angle brackets: a href=URL text /a Some people put the URL in quotes, but I find it works for me without them. |
Posted by: trailing wife 2015-11-14 12:20 |
#5 The purpose of free speech is to arrive at the truth by active debate. The PC crowd wants to suppress free speech because the truth doesn't benefit them. Stand-up for your freedoms next November or lose them. |
Posted by: Sven the pelter 2015-11-14 10:54 |
#4 I wish I had this guy as a prof, I wouldn't be a wanba be Wolfe. |
Posted by: Shipman 2015-11-14 10:46 |
#3 Humm Cdr Sal was on this awhile back. Fleming seems to be a teacher. Sorry, iPad explodes when I try to link. Damn well worth a read, great poem, King Kong and His tryout with the Chicago Bears. http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2013/09/knowing-kong.html |
Posted by: Shipman 2015-11-14 10:45 |
#2 One must wonder how he has survived accademia so long, particularly in such a institutionalized petri dish. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2015-11-14 10:04 |
#1 Silly rabbit, he still believes in textual law. |
Posted by: Procopius2k 2015-11-14 09:59 |