Jairo I. Fúnez-Flores, an Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas Tech University, on Monday, was placed on paid leave after university officials had discovered his posts on social media that they described as “hateful, antisemitic, and unacceptable,” the Texas Tribune reported.
Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell did not provide examples of Fúnez-Flores’ comments that led to his suspension but insisted they were “antithetical” to the university’s ethical code of conduct. The school’s Office of Equal Opportunity is investigating whether Fúnez-Flores made similar comments in the classroom.
“We take the First Amendment’s application to public universities seriously; however, we are also committed to providing a safe learning and working environment that is free from harassment, including antisemitic harassment, and will not tolerate behavior that crosses the line into harassment and interferes with or limits the ability of an individual to participate in the educational activities of Texas Tech University,” Schovanec and Mitchell said in a joint statement.
The Texas Tribune noted that last semester, a University of Texas at Arlington professor organized a discussion on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Some students objected to the characterization of Hamas as a terrorist organization during the talk, prompting criticism from the college dean for the professor’s handling of the event. Consequently, a new policy was enacted, requiring the dean’s approval for future departmental talks. Subsequently, the professor resigned as chair of the political science department, arguing that the policy change signaled a reluctance to engage in controversial topics.
