In a sea of hateful comments swirling around our country’s academic institutions, one Wisconsin professor broke with the mold in a Sept. 14 plea to university administrators to “JUST SAY SOMETHING” about the attack on free speech that was last week’s assassination at a Utah university campus.
Trevor Tomesh, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, used his personal Facebook account to proclaim a bold message to his colleagues. Tomesh was asked to clarify that his views are not a reflection of the University of Wisconsin system before lamenting the unavoidable conclusion following Charlie Kirk’s death: that the principle of free speech and debate at a university setting is under attack.
“The fact that Charlie was killed on a college campus for expressing his opinions and ideas—the one place in society what’s (whose) soul purpose is to express opinions and ideas—should be a watershed moment for all universities.”
Robby Starbuck shared Tomesh’s full statement on X, offering his praise of Tomesh’s courage. (RELATED: Charlie Kirk Shooter Affiliations Coming to Light As Investigation Continues)
Tomesh went on to say that faculty, administrators, staff and students should be lamenting this tragedy, as it signals what he calls the death of the university.
The free exchange of ideas on college campuses is a long-treasured American value. The Supreme Court’s decision in Sweezy v. New Hampshire, described it well: “The essentiality of freedom in the community of American universities is almost self-evident… Teachers and students must always remain free to inquire, to study and to evaluate, to gain new maturity and understanding.” Tragically, partisanship over principle seems to be the message given the silence from some in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.
On another UW campus, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, associate professor in the Department of Gender & Women’s Studies Sami Schalk reposted others’ comments, including one that read, “You are under no obligation to mourn the death of people who would’ve celebrated yours.” Other comments from Schalk include a personal statement on Kirk, posted hours after his death, in which she describes receiving hate mail and harassment in part due to “that man’s organization”.
The Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin system describes the UW position on free expression in their Regent Policies, which state:
“Freedom of expression includes the right to discuss and present scholarly opinions and conclusions on all matters both in and outside the classroom. These freedoms include the right to speak and write as a member of the university community or as a private citizen without institutional discipline or restraint, on scholarly matters, or on matters of public concern. The UW System is committed to these principles and provides all members of the university community the broadest possible latitude to explore ideas and to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn.”
