PHILADELPHIA (Diya TV) — A case against University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax has stretched on for over two years without a public resolution. However, sources close to the investigation have confirmed that a university hearing board, composed of tenured faculty, recommended sanctions against Wax in June.
Axios reports Penn law school dean Theodore Ruger asked Penn’s Faculty Senate to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Wax last year, saying she invited a white supremacist, Jared Taylor, to give a lecture to her class. According to a complaint Ruger filed with the university, Wax made inflammatory comments against people of color, making statements like Blacks have “different average IQs” than other races.
She accused successful “Brahmin” women from India in the medical field of turning their backs on the US by leading diversity initiatives that criticize academia.
Wax added her thoughts on India too, saying “on some level, their country is a shithole,” implying these women would not get the same opportunities as they would in America.
She has also argued that not all cultures are equal and that “the United States is better off with fewer Asians and less Asian immigration.”
The potential sanctions include a one-year suspension at half pay, loss of her named chair and summer pay, and a requirement for Wax to clarify in public appearances that she does not speak on behalf of Penn Carey Law. Former Penn President Liz Magill approved these sanctions in August, although Wax has appealed the decision, alleging procedural errors.
The appeal has initiated another phase of the process, involving a review by Penn’s Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility. The timeline for this review remains uncertain. If the recommendations are upheld, it would mark the first time in at least 20 years that a tenured professor is sanctioned after the full faculty senate process.
The potential sanctions against Wax have sparked renewed scrutiny over Penn’s handling of controversies, including the Palestine Writes literature festival and allegations of antisemitic remarks. The proceedings against Wax have been cited as evidence of selective enforcement of speech-related issues by Penn.
Meanwhile, Wax’s lawyer has sought to postpone proceedings, citing her health issues and asserting that she has been treated unfairly. The disciplinary process against Wax began in January 2022, following complaints about her inflammatory rhetoric and alleged violations of university standards.
Despite the ongoing controversy, Wax has defended her right to free speech, portraying herself as a victim of ideological bias in academia.
The University of Pennsylvania is the same institution that sponsored the “Dismantling Global Hindutva” conference in 2021, an alleged academic event criticized globally for bigotry and bias towards India, Indian Americans and Hindus.
Recently, the Brandeis Center, a Jewish civil rights legal organization, filed civil rights complaints with the US Department of Education, accusing Penn of nurturing a hostile environment toward Jewish students and failing to adequately respond to harassment of Jews.
Former UPenn President Liz Magill resigned a few months ago over her handling over these controversies
