A conversation with the Times reporter Vimal Patel, who wrote about the Federalist Society event last month that went viral.
Stuart Kyle Duncan, a conservative federal appeals court judge appointed by former President Donald J. Trump, visited Stanford Law School last month to speak to students at the invitation of the university’s chapter of the Federalist Society.
That single event created a furor that continues today.
Duncan, who has defended Louisiana’s gay-marriage ban and a North Carolina law restricting transgender people from using their preferred bathrooms, was repeatedly heckled by students and couldn’t speak more than a few words without interruption. When he called for the help of an administrator to restore order, Tirien Steinbach, the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, said that Duncan’s work had “caused harm” to many people in the room.
Steinbach’s remarks, seen by some as giving tacit approval to the protesters, were recorded and went viral, thrusting questions of campus free speech into the national spotlight once again.
This week, my colleague Vimal Patel wrote about what happened at Stanford, including the recent release of a 10-page memo by Jenny S. Martinez, the law school dean, that supported Duncan’s right to speak on campus and criticized Steinbach’s response. The memo also announced that Steinbach was on leave.
I spoke to Vimal, who covers higher education for The New York Times, about his reporting and how this incident fit into our current high-pitched political environment and understanding of free speech at universities nationwide. Here’s our conversation, lightly edited:
How did you come to this story?
I had kept an eye on the controversy ever since video of Steinbach’s intervention on March 9 went viral. But the story snowballed from there. It became a major cause on the right, with prominent politicians like Ted Cruz and media personalities calling for Steinbach’s firing. By the time Martinez responded with her extraordinary memo, I was already reporting.
As you’ve written, the issue of free speech on college campuses isn’t a new one. Why did this particular incident garner so much attention?
The recorded remarks by Steinbach came at a time when diversity, equity and inclusion jobs are under attack from conservatives. Her intervention felt like a Rorschach test. What did you see? A D.E.I. dean expressing sympathy for students heckling a federal judge and also admonishing him? Or a deft administrator stepping into a challenging situation, calming students down and insisting they listen to the judge?
Many people were quick to condemn Steinbach from the video. But when I actually started reporting, I found a much more complicated back story. I was surprised to hear that she had a good relationship with the head of Stanford’s Federalist Society. And that Nadine Strossen, a free speech crusader, thought that she went out of her way to support free expression.
What is it about this moment that brings such attention to campus free-speech issues?
Many people who are frustrated that these flare-ups ricochet around the web say that controversial speakers deliver talks every day at universities, including law schools, without incident, and that we only hear about the events that go awry. That said, this is an emotionally charged and polarizing moment in U.S. history more broadly, and that’s playing out on college campuses. Passions are especially escalated at law schools because so many of the country’s biggest cultural divisions are legal issues. Roe v. Wade was just overturned. The fight for the rights of gay and transgender people, redistricting and even election-integrity claims all play out in courtrooms.
The rest of the news
-
Water supply: The Biden administration proposed to put aside legal precedent and save what’s left of the Colorado River by evenly cutting water allotments, reducing the water delivered to California, Arizona and Nevada by as much as one-quarter.
-
Recession fears: California’s economy is on edge, as the state’s most powerful sectors, including tech companies and supply chain logistics, have struggled to keep their footing.
-
Home loan program: California Democrats carved out $300 million in state-backed home loans to help first-time buyers. The funds ran out after just 11 days, CalMatters reports.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
-
Pipeline restart: The pipeline that ruptured and spewed about 25,000 gallons of oil into the ocean off Huntington Beach in October 2021 is being refilled with oil and is expected to be in use again this month, The Orange County Register reports.
-
Train service resumed: Metrolink and Amtrak will restart train service next week following months of stabilizing repairs that were required after a storm surge affected a stretch of seaside track, The Associated Press reports.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
-
Low pay: Annual earnings for women in the Fresno metropolitan area are among the lowest of the country’s largest metro areas, The Fresno Bee reports.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
-
Controversial reforms: Outside Alameda County Superior Courthouse, protesters rallied against District Attorney Pamela Price, urging her to end a series of reforms and not to cut a plea deal with the men charged with killing a 2-year-old, The Mercury News reports.
-
Whole Foods closure: The Whole Foods Market in downtown San Francisco closed just a year after it opened, citing safety concerns, The San Francisco Standard reports.
-
Elizabeth Holmes: The Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes lost a bid to delay her 11-year prison sentence, with a judge ordering her to surrender on April 27, The Mercury News reports.
Where we’re traveling
Today’s tip comes from Gail Chastain:
“My ‘aaaah’ place to unwind and commune with nature and the sea is Asilomar in Pacific Grove. The history of this state park, which began as a camp for young women, is fascinating, and the numerous buildings designed by the architect Julia Morgan are a treat to explore. Trails through the dunes showcase the native flora, and the view of the ocean is sublime.”
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We’ll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter.
Tell us
After a rainy winter, spring has arrived in California. Whether it’s road trips, festivals, sunny afternoons or wildflower sightings, tell us your favorite part of spring in the Golden State.
Email us at CAToday@nytimes.com, and please include your name and the city where you live.
And before you go, some good news
The Bay Area enjoyed a weekend of epic views, as the sunrise on Saturday and Sunday lined up with California Street in San Francisco and shined perfectly between the city’s buildings over the Bay Bridge, a biannual phenomenon known as California Henge.
As photographers flocked to the streets around Nob Hill for the best view of the solar event, neighbors leaned out of windows and over balconies to see what all the fuss was about, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“I can’t believe we blocked the street. That’s nuts,” a photographer said, according to the news outlet. “And they let us!”
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya
P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword.
Briana Scalia, Maia Coleman and Bernard Mokam contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com.
"behind" - Google News
April 12, 2023 at 08:00PM
https://ift.tt/MVJ1BQs
Behind the Story: Free Speech Controversy at Stanford - The New York Times
"behind" - Google News
https://ift.tt/drT0Ak3
https://ift.tt/mKGdEou
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Behind the Story: Free Speech Controversy at Stanford - The New York Times"
Post a Comment