Harvard's History Professor Exposes 'Tyrannous Invasions' of Academic Freedom
'I am leaving Harvard, and it was not a sudden decision.'
A Harvard University history professor, James Hankins, has announced his retirement in a scathing essay, criticizing the school's COVID-19 policies and DEI practices. Hankins, who has taught at Harvard for four decades, claims that the university's strict COVID regime and its stance on the pandemic drastically changed admissions standards, excluding white males from the graduate program.
In his essay, Hankins describes how he reviewed a candidate who would have been a 'perfect fit' for the university but was rejected due to his gender and race. He also mentions an undergraduate student who was recognized for his academic excellence but was denied admission into the graduate program because of his gender and race. These incidents, Hankins argues, are part of a larger pattern of exclusion at Harvard.
'Neither practice accorded with my idea of liberal education.'
Hankins' decision to leave Harvard comes after four years of the university's strict COVID-19 policies, which required professors to wear masks and conduct classes over Zoom. He calls these practices 'tyrannous invasions of private life' and argues that they have harmed the socialization of young Americans. Hankins also criticizes Harvard for changing its 'two-book standard,' which required professors to publish two books to prove their expertise, and for replacing Western civilization courses with global history.
'When you don't teach the young what civilization is, it turns out, people become uncivilized.'
Hankins is now making 'far better use of his time' at the University of Florida's Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education, where he can focus on teaching the history of Western civilization. He believes that Harvard's approach to higher education has done serious harm to the socialization of young Americans, and he is leaving the university to make a stand against these practices.
'I am leaving Harvard, and I am not alone.'
Harvard has been a popular target for the Trump administration, which has withheld federal research funding over what it considers 'woke' ideology. However, Harvard has held out against these demands, and Hankins' essay highlights the ongoing battle between the university and the administration. The essay also invites readers to question the university's practices and encourages them to voice their opinions in the comments section.
