Claremont McKenna College is firing back after a professor accused the college of censorship and claimed he was disciplined for quoting the “N-word” in class.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Christopher Nadon, a professor of government at the California college, claimed that he quoted Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in a discussion on censorship in the United States, as the book has been removed from libraries and schools because of its use of the N-word.
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Nadon said he quoted “Mark Twain’s precise language, which meant speaking the N-word,” and successfully convinced a student that censorship existed in the U.S.
Ten days later, Nadon said he received an email from Ellen Rentz, the associate dean of faculty, who wished to speak to him about “some serious concerns.” After Rentz allegedly refused to provide Nadon with the concerns in writing, the dean of faculty, Heather Antecol, informed the professor that there had been no official complaint filed against him but wanted to know why he had used the N-word in class.
Nadon also claimed that other professors were disciplined for similar infractions, including one who “apologized and agreed to undergo recommended counseling … [and] submitted to re-education and training in critical race theory.”
But in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner, the college’s president, Hiram Chodosh, disputed almost every claim that Nadon made, including that the “expressions of concern” made by students were because of his quote from the Mark Twain classic.
“We received expressions of concern from students in three separate, recent classes,” Chodosh said. “The first cited Nadon’s express use of the N-word independent from the reading of Huck Finn or any other text and Nadon’s argument with a student that was reported to ‘box her in’ and ‘force her’ to support Nadon’s point of view.”
“Nadon was never under investigation, never barred, never censured,” the college president added.
Chodosh also said the other professors Nadon claimed were censured received no such discipline.
“The literature adjunct he mentions had an at-will contract for one semester only, with no promise of reappointment,” Chodosh said. “She was never required to submit to ‘re-education and training in critical race theory.’ Based on the availability of a tenure-line faculty member to teach the next semester (always our preference), there was no need to reappoint her for fall 2022 but left open the possibility for future opportunities.”
Nadon wrote that he defended himself to the college dean, saying, “I … hold the view that before criticizing or praising an author, one should first attempt to understand that author as he understood himself, something that requires reading and discussing exactly what he wrote.”
“Do you think I am mistaken in this approach?” he asked the dean. In response, Nadon claimed Antecol sought to ban him from teaching any required courses, a decision that was reversed last month “when it was apparent that my case and other similar ones would become public.”
But Chodosh also disputed this claim, saying that Nadon’s classes had low enrollment, resulting in at least one getting canceled.
“One of his upper-level courses, an elective scheduled for this fall, resulted in no students signing up to take it,” Chodosh said. “As a result, the department recommended, and the Dean agreed, that Nadon would teach the major-required Gov 80 this fall. The number of students currently enrolled for this semester in his section of Gov 80 is one.”
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In the statement, Chodosh reiterated Claremont McKenna College’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech, saying, “We extend the freedom of expression to every member of our community, not just professors, even when that includes language that is offensive to some.”
“In my nine years as president, we have never held a disciplinary review, investigation, or remedial action (e.g., demand, alteration, censure, ban, or any adverse action) against any faculty members, including Nadon, for speech in the classroom,” the college president said.
