Three Cheers for Academic Freedom

Peter Kirstein, a professor of history at St. Xavier University, got embroiled in a controversy a few weeks ago when he lashed out against a student at the Air Force Academy for sending an unsolicited email requesting help for an academic forum on international relations. This was Kirstein's response to the initial email:

You are a disgrace to this country and I am furious you would even think I would support you and your aggressive baby killing tactics of collateral damage. Help you recruit. Who, top guns to reign death and destruction upon nonwhite peoples throughout the world? Are you serious sir? Resign your commission and serve your country with honour [sic].

No war, no air force cowards who bomb countries with AAA, without possibility of retaliation. You are worse than the snipers. You are imperialists who are turning the whole damn world against us. September 11 can be blamed in part for what you and your cohorts have done to Palestinians, the VC, the Serbs, a retreating army at Basra.

Although Kirstein later apologized, it was too late. He pissed quite a few people off and the doors of criticism flung wide open.

On Friday, St. Xavier President Richard A. Yanikoski released this statement regarding the incident. As disciplinary measures, he announced that "Professor Kirstein was relieved of his teaching responsibilities for the current semester and reassigned to other duties." Kirstein will also receive an official reprimand, and his academic work will be subject to close scrutiny while he is on leave.

I find Kirstein's actions to be absolutely deplorable, but I don't understand this disciplinary move by St. Xavier. The email outburst has absolutely nothing to do with his academic credentials. Kirstein has every right to make an ass out of himself; that doesn't warrant an official reprimand from the university.

That's my take, at least. This episode raises serious questions about academic freedom. You can get more background on this story over at History News Network.