Oberlin, One of America’s Elite Colleges, Finally Suspends Anti-Semitic Professor

By The Stream Published on August 4, 2016

One of America’s elite colleges has finally suspended a junior professor for several years of anti-semitic comments on social media.

Joy Karega, a new rhetoric professor at Oberlin College in Ohio, came to national attention in early March for posts on social media, like one that claimed ISIS was actually run by the CIA and the Israeli secret service Mossad. Another included a video of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan saying “It is now becoming apparent that there were many Israeli and Zionist Jews in key roles in the 9/11 attack.” Karega added, “Farrakhan is truth-telling in this video.”

Though criticized by college officials — the chairman of its board called her remarks “anti-Semitic and abhorrent” —  she remained unrepentant and kept her job. The college’s president Marvin Krislov, himself Jewish, criticized her statements but defended her right to say them as an act of academic freedom.

Karega was listed as a teacher and advisor in the fall catalogue, but after an inquiry from a group of graduates called Oberlin Alums for Campus Fairness, Karega was given paid leave, reported The Algemeiner. The college did not say when it had done so.

A college spokesman told the website that in March, Oberlin began “its faculty governance process to review Dr. Karega’s professional fitness in light of these postings.”

The faculty governance process that began thereafter is ongoing, and the Oberlin administration will continue to respect this process as it plays out. Until that process is complete, Dr. Karega has been placed on paid leave and will not teach at Oberlin.

In recognition of the sensitivity of this review process and the privacy of the individuals involved, we will have no other comment until the conclusion of the process.

The New York Times reported that Krislov told graduates that he was “committed to continuing and completing an equitable review process.” Karega responded “Equitable?” on Facebook.

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