University of Hawai鈥檌 at Manoa: University Changes Law Professor鈥檚 Hypothetical Example After Student Complaint
Cases
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Case Overview
A student complained in September 2024 about a hypothetical example used by University of Hawai鈥檌 at Manoa law professor Kenneth Lawson. The hypothetical, which Lawson used to demonstrate the criminal law concept of 鈥渢ransferred intent,鈥 included images of two deans at the university鈥攐ne of whom shoots at the other, misses, and hits Lawson accidentally. At a meeting in November, administrators insisted Lawson change the hypothetical, despite admitting it did not violate any university policy. Lawson declined, instead turning to 果冻传媒app官方. We wrote the university on December 13, explaining that Lawson鈥檚 hypothetical was protected by his academic freedom rights. The university responded on January 3, 2025, declining to engage with the substance of the letter, and university administrators unilaterally changed the hypothetical to remove deans鈥 images, while keeping Lawson as the victim of the shooting. 果冻传媒app官方 wrote the university again on January 23 urging the university to restore the original version of the hypothetical and raising concerns that the university would unilaterally change a professor鈥檚 course content without the professor鈥檚 consent.