Looking For A Way Out?
According to this article, University of Wisconsin Provost Patrick Farrell may well be looking for a face-saving way to kick 9/11 conspiracy theorist Kevin Barrett to the curb. In a letter obtained by the AP, Farrell warns Barrett about seeking publicity or publicly associating himself with the University.
MADISON, Wis. — University of Wisconsin's provost warned an instructor who believes the U.S. government orchestrated the Sept. 11 attacks to stop seeking publicity for his views, days after he defended the teacher's right to free speech.
UW-Madison Provost Patrick Farrell also warned Kevin Barrett to stop associating himself with UW-Madison when he advocates his views. Otherwise, Farrell wrote in the July 20 letter, he would reconsider his decision to allow Barrett to teach a course on Islam this fall.
“In summary, if you continue to identify yourself with UW-Madison in your personal political messages or illustrate an inability to control your interest in publicity for your ideas, I would lose confidence … ,'' he wrote in the letter, obtained by The Associated Press in an open records request.
The letter came 10 days after Farrell decided to retain Barrett as a part-time instructor for the fall semester course, “Islam: Religion and Culture,'' despite calls to fire him.
The decision has sparked a major backlash against UW-Madison, with 61 state lawmakers denouncing the move.
The Ozaukee County Board voted Wednesday to cut funding to next year's UW Extension program by $8,247 — the amount Barrett will earn for the course — in a symbolic protest that could spread to other counties.
Announcing his decision on July 10, Farrell declared, “We cannot allow political pressure from critics of unpopular ideas to inhibit the free exchange of ideas.''
Mike Mikalsen, an aide to Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said Farrell's letter “makes a mockery of his earlier statements'' that he was committed to protecting Barrett's ideas and may signal the school is looking for a way to fire him.
“It stuns me they would put that kind of threat in writing because they have set a standard that Barrett's already broken,'' he said, noting Barrett gave an interview on Fox News on Thursday morning. “He has not backed off one iota.''
Farrell said he wanted Barrett to know that he could reconsider his decision if he did not meet expectations. He said Barrett has “modestly made some efforts'' to cut down on publicity.
As I have said all along, this is not an issue of academic freedom or a free speech issue. It is and always has been an employment issue. This letter makes that rather obvious. It may be the easiest way for Farrell to get rid of someone who, frankly, is an embarrassment to UW-M. I had also noted some time ago that Farrell's decision to keep Barrett would bear negative budgetary consequences. That didn't take long to come about, did it?
Side note to the Barretts of the world. Why is it that not one, single, solitary, credible, licensed professional engineer has signed on to your theories? (At least none I've heard of). Not one reputable engineer.
Maybe because the theory is insanity? Just asking.
The Ivory Tower | Gaius Saturday, 5 August , 2006
By Black Jack, Saturday, 5 August , 2006 @ 7:52 pm
Watching this guy on TV is bad enough, can you imagine how unbearable he could be hanging around the faculty club, liquored up and buttonholing senior colleagues, ranting and raving, spewing gibberish? UW-M has got to be wishing they never heard of this crackpot.