Georgetown University: Administration Investigating Professor for Quoting Racial Slur From Landmark Supreme Court Case
Cases
Georgetown University
Case Overview
In an April 15, 2021, class, American government professor Michele Swers read from the landmark Supreme Court case on incitement, Brandenburg v. Ohio, reciting the Klansman鈥檚 speech at issue: 鈥淧ersonally, I believe the nigger should be returned to Africa and the Jew returned to Israel.鈥 FIREsent a letter to Swers demanding an apology, a review of lecture materials for 鈥減otential bias,鈥 and a 鈥渄emonstrated understanding of the history of the N-word and why it is inappropriate for a non-Black person to say.鈥 Although Swers apologized and removed the word from future lesson plans, a student submitted a complaint to the university. Georgetown told the student newspaper that it would investigate the matter. On May 4, FIREcalled on Georgetown to end its investigation of Swers and to expressly disclaim any intent to punish her over her protected expression. The same day, Swers鈥 department chair told FIREthat he had not been made aware of an investigation. As of June 11, Georgetown鈥檚 administration has not substantively responded to 果冻传媒app官方鈥檚 letter.