“The University of Chicago opened its doors in October 1892. Its young president, William Rainey Harper, who was backed by the unlimited financial resources of John D. Rockefeller, had raided the faculties of the leading Eastern universities and brought to the new institution a distinguished group of young professors and intellectuals – John Dewey, who was to emphasize the social aspect of education for future generations, was one. In 1902 the university published a report of its first ten years which included the following excerpt on the freedom of speech accorded the faculty.” It is a model for universities today – and education in general – who have lost their moral compass and their moral courage in maintaining academia as the temples of knowledge they were meant to be. Today’s academia has violated the most basic principles of their foundational mentors since they capitulated to the anarchist and Socialist radicals of the 1960s. Dewey must be rolling over in his grave. American public academia today is nothing but an anachronistic, whited sepulcher of the principles quoted below.
“In what way may the professor abuse his privilege of freedom of expression? Or, to put the question more largely: In what way does the professor bring reproach and injury to himself and to his institution? I answer: A professor is guilty of an abuse of his privilege who promulgates as Truth ideas or opinions which have not been tested scientifically by his colleagues in the same department of research or investigation. A professor has no right to proclaim to the public a “truth” discovered which is yet unsettled and uncertain. A professor abuses his privilege who takes advantage of a classroom exercise to propagate the partisan views of one or another of the political Parties. The university is no place for partisanship. From the teacher’s desk should emanate the discussion of principles, the judicial statement of arguments from various points of view, and not the one-sided representations of a partisan character.
A professor abuses his privilege who in any way seeks to influence his pupils or the public by sensational methods. A professor abuses his privilege of expression of opinion when, although a student and perhaps an authority in one department or group of departments, he undertakes to speak authoritatively on subjects which have no relationship to the department in which he was appointed to give instruction. A professor abuses his privilege in many cases when, although shut off in large measure from the world and engaged within a narrow field of investigation, he undertakes to instruct his colleagues or the public concerning matters in the world at large in connection with which he has had little or no experience.
A professor abuses his privilege of freedom of expression when he fails to exercise that quality ordinarily called common sense, which, it must be confessed, in some cases the professor lacks. A professor ought not to make such an exhibition of his weakness so many times, that the attention of the public at large is called to the fact. In this respect he has no larger liberty than other men.”
“But will a professor under any circumstances be asked to withdraw from the university? Yes. His resignation will be demanded, and will be accepted, when, in the opinion of those in authority, he has been guilty of immorality, or when for any reason he has proved himself to be incompetent to perform the service called for.” – William Rainey Harper: Academic Freedom, 1902; Annals Vol. 12, p. 500
