NY Times: Tenured Columbia Law Professor Says She Was Pushed To Retire Because Of Her Pro-Palestine Activism

Following up on my previous posts (links below): New York Times, Columbia Professor Says She Was Pushed to Retire Because of Her Activism:

Columbia University and one of its longtime law professors, Katherine Franke, have severed ties after an investigation stemming from her advocacy on behalf of pro-Palestinian students.

It was the latest fallout from student and faculty activism related to the Gaza War on a major university campus.

Ms. Franke, a tenured professor known primarily for her work as founder and director of Columbia’s Center for Gender & Sexuality Law, had been an advocate for pro-Palestinian students as protests erupted on the campus last school year.

She was also one of several faculty members investigated by the university over allegations of antisemitism, after the school received complaints about comments she made about Israelis on a radio program.

Statement From Katherine Franke (Jan. 10, 2025):

[T]he University has allowed its own disciplinary process to be weaponized against members of our community, including myself. I have been targeted for my support of pro-Palestinian protesters — by the president of Columbia University, by several colleagues, by university trustees, and by outside actors. This has included an unjustified finding by the University that my public comments condemning attacks against student protesters violated university non-discrimination policy.

I have come to the view that the Columbia University administration has created such a toxic and hostile environment for legitimate debate around the war in Israel and Palestine that I can no longer teach or conduct research.

Effective today, I have reached an agreement with Columbia University that relieves me of my obligations to teach or participate in faculty governance after serving on the Columbia law faculty for 25 years. While the university may call this change in my status “retirement,” it should be more accurately understood as a termination dressed up in more palatable terms. …

After President Shafik defamed me in Congress, I received several death threats at my home. I regularly receive emails that express the hope that I am raped, murdered, and otherwise assaulted on account of my support of Palestinian rights. I have had law school colleagues follow me from the subway to my office in the law school, yelling at me in front of students that I am a Hamas-supporter and accusing me of supporting violence against Israeli women and children. Colleagues in the law school have videotaped me without my consent and then shared it with right wing organizations outside the law school. And I have had students enroll in my classes with the primary purpose of creating situations in which they can provoke discussions that they can record, post online, and then use to file complaints against me with the university.

I have come to regard Columbia Law School as a hostile work environment in which I can no longer enter the classroom, hold office hours, walk through the campus, or engage in faculty governance functions free from egregious and unwelcome harassment on account of my defense of students’ freedom to protest and express views that are critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, treatment that is widely regarded by the most prominent human rights organizations nationally and globally as a genocide.

Brian Leiter (Chicago), Columbia Law Professor Katherine Franke Forced to Retire:

This appears to be another case of weaponizing Title VI to punish otherwise lawful political speech (see also). I am surprised the remarks at issue were deemed discriminatory, but it’s arguable …. Even if the remarks violated anti-discrimination policies, nothing she said or did comes close to constituting a firing offense, at least at a university committed to AAUP academic freedom principles.

Inside Higher Ed, Pro-Palestinian Columbia Professor Departs After Investigation

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage: