FINALLY: Georgetown reinstates Ilya Shapiro following unwarranted 122-day investigation into protected political speech
The FireJun 02, 2022
Georgetown Law Professor Reinstated After Investigation of Tweets
The Facts
Georgetown University reinstated law professor Ilya Shapiro after a four-month-long investigation into a series of tweets he posted about affirmative action. He resumed work Friday.
Shapiro had been on administrative leave since Jan. for comments about Pres. Biden's promise to nominate a Black woman for the Supreme Court.
The Spin
Right narrative
Shapiro's tweets were ill-worded and thoughtless, as he himself noted in his apology, but are not grounds for being fired. Political speech is protected and the very fact that Georgetown University put him on leave brings to question their stance on freedom of expression and academic freedom - which should both be fundamental to a university.
Left narrative
Shapiro is not the victim in this story. As a law professor, he's in a position of power with his students and a role model to the greater community. Tweeting such offensive remarks about affirmative action erodes trust in his beliefs and abilities. No student should feel fearful entering the classroom, but that's exactly the situation he has willingly created.