This is why Amy Wax is under fire for her speech at UPenn Law

In a June 23 letter to Vivian Gadsden, Chair of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Faculty Senate, Dean of UPenn Law School Theodore Ruger accused his fellow Law Professor Amy Wax of committing “racist” and “sexist” actions. 

The letter, which calls on the Faculty Senate to convene a hearing on Wax’s alleged infractions, contains accusations that Wax has engaged in “intentional and incessant racist, sexist, xenophobic, and homophobic actions and statements.”

After stating that Wax utilized her position as a professor to “disparage immigrants, people of color, and women, including Law students, alumni, and faculty,” Ruger proceeds to cite examples of alleged discriminatory acts. 

Alleged examples included Wax telling students that Black and non-Black individuals have different IQs, that Mexican men have a greater likelihood of assaulting women, and that Wax exhibits a “pattern of homophobia.”

[RELATED: First Amendment experts criticize university’s vague ‘hate speech’ policy]

No context for these quotes or claims was provided in the letter.

In response to a similar letter criticizing Wax in January, Erich Makarov, a third-year law student at UPenn, showed support for Wax.

In a letter shared with Reason Magazine, Makarov wrote, “We all know that Professor Wax has made uncomfortable observations about Black Americans in the past. Yet, Professor Loury, a Black man, regularly invites Professor Wax on his show to engage in meaningful and civil discourse.”

In 2020, Campus Reform covered a story involving Wax and the backlash she faced from UPenn students regarding her views on immigration and related issues.

[RELATED: VIDEO: Professor tells Yale Law students to ‘grow up’ as they disrupt free speech event]

Wax previously told Campus Reform, “The most scandalous part is not the dopey, overheated student Facebook comments — and those are bad enough — but the unthinking, spineless, and uncritical caving by our law school ‘leadership’ to the most ignorant and intolerant contingent of our very expensively educated ‘elite’ students.”

The last paragraph of Ruger’s June 23 letter requests “formation of a Hearing Board under Section II.E.16.4.A. to conduct a full review of Professor Wax’s conduct, and the severe harms she has caused to our community, and to ultimately impose a major sanction against her.” 

The University of Pennsylvania and Amy Wax have not yet responded to comments requested by Campus Reform. This article will be updated accordingly.