UC system profs slam president for encouraging 'viewpoint neutral' teaching of Middle East
University of California professors decried President Michael Drake's proposals for 'viewpoint-neutral history' in order to reduce tension and discrimination against Jewish and Muslim students on campus.
The professors claim that his proposal infringes on their 'academic freedom.'
Some professors in the University of California system have taken issue with calls for neutrality in programming for teaching about the Middle East conflict.
In a recent letter signed by over 150 UC academics, professors decried President Michael Drake’s proposals for “viewpoint-neutral history” on the subject as a way to reduce tension and discrimination against Jewish and Muslim students on campus.
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The letter specifically referenced Drake’s Nov. 15 remarks at a Regents meeting in which he announced a plan to spend $2 million on educational programs at all 10 campuses for “better understanding anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, how to recognize and combat extremism, and a viewpoint-neutral history of the Middle East.”
Drake also stated that an additional $2 million would be devoted toward training university faculty and staff “who are seeking guidance on how to navigate their roles as educators in this space.”
Acknowledging that the new programming would encompass “academic freedom” and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging,” Drake asserted that the aim of the plan was to make sure that UC officials “are equipped with the knowledge they need to respond when issues arise and that our university policies are supportive, preventative, and viewpoint-neutral.”
In their response letter, the UC professors write to Drake, “We are aware that the concept of viewpoint neutrality is a legal term of art rooted in the First Amendment of the US Constitution that prevents the government from either supporting or discriminating against certain viewpoints. There is a clear, structural difference between government agencies avoiding the endorsement of a particular political position and university-based professionals presenting conflicting viewpoints as a normal part of our curriculum.”
They continue, “We are all committed to inclusivity and academic excellence, but to suggest that the UC administration should determine how and what we teach will set a chilling precedent for our field and the many others engaged in teaching topics that might be considered controversial or divisive, like climate change, the history of racism, and genocide and mass atrocity.”
The letter also explicitly attacks Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis as an example of when viewpoint neutrality has been employed “to silence and/or discredit scholars whose research may be at odds with a particular political agenda.”
On Nov. 30, Davis’ office issued a clarification on his statements, noting that “remarks were referencing voluntary, extracurricular educational programming on our campuses, not classroom content or curriculum.” It also added that, “These additional initiatives do not restrict or compel faculty activities in any way; they are optional and will be implemented in a way that reflects community input.”
Campus Reform contacted Drake for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.