Phyllis Schlafly Anti Feminist gets degree
Ladybear
Washington University Law Professors: Rescind Honorary Degree For Anti-Feminist Phyllis Schlafly
Washington University recently announced that it would be awarding right-wing activist
Phyllis Schlafly an honorary degree at its graduation ceremony on May 16.
She got her degree today.
Schlafly is notorious for her outspoken belief that women should be homemakers and her opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment. In a statement, the university lauded Schlafly as a “national leader of the conservative movement.”
Opposition was swift. Two Facebook groups opposing the award immediately popped up and now have more than 4,000 members combined. Today, 14 faculty members of the Washington University School of Law also wrote a sharp letter asking school’s chancellor to rescind the award:
We are extremely disappointed that the University has chosen to honor Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary degree at this spring’s commencement ceremony.
We are fully committed to the principle of free speech, and we believe the University should encourage a discussion of diverse viewpoints. Commencement, however, is first and foremost a time of celebration of the intellectual accomplishments of our students. It is, we believe, a disservice to those whom we honor to inject into the proceedings a person who has devoted her life to staking out and promoting polarizing, anti-intellectual positions.
An even more important reason to rescind the degree offer to Ms. Schlafly is that her repeatedly expressed views are antithetical to some of the most fundamental principles for which this University stands.
As the professors note, Schlafly’s accomplishments include going after
“the gay and lesbian agenda,” calling for the “impeachment” of Supreme Court justices,
calling anyone who believes in evolution an “atheist,” and opposing the Violence Against Women Act. She has also claimed that women “are too emotional to handle intellectual or scientific debate” and described sex education as “in-home sales parties for abortions.”
E-mail Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton here to object to the Schlafly award. (Be polite.)
Access: Public
education
July 2008
Thank you for helping to publicize this act by Washington University. It speaks volumes about what that institution is really about, and where its money is coming from. I hope any intelligent man or woman considering higher education will hear about this, and make an informed choice about where (not) to spend their university education dollars.
Hi Crow,
Thanks for the comment.
I was shocked when I saw it on CNN today and when I went to the website to get the link to
post the story, I couldn't find it on cnn.com!
I did a search for the story and could only come up with this dated version from 3 days ago.
It should of gotten more news play, but considering the world's brutal news right now, I guess we're lucky it was mentioned at all.
Bear, I considered writing the Chancellor and decided he already knew full well what he'd done, no one was going to surprise him. And the best I/we could do is spread the word about Washington U, as far and wide as possible. You started the process, and I helped out, by posting a link to your blog on my own blog : )