Dr. Jonathan Higgins, an educator and advocate for social justice issues that affect the Black and LGBTQ community, was recently fired from his position with the Queer Resource Center of Claremont Colleges in California, because of his “tweets and social media presence.”
A few of Higgins’ tweets centered on topics of police brutality, race, and the treatment received by those who identify as LGBTQ from heterosexuals. He was subsequently hired by Pomona College, and the announcement of his hiring was shared via email with the college’s community in mid-June of 2017.
Higgins, who declined to comment when contacted by Diverse, had become the latest among a growing list of college faculty who have faced employment consequences as a result of their comments on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
In New Jersey, former Essex County College professor, Lisa Durden, was fired in June 2017, after discussing her support for a Black Lives Matter group hosting a Blacks-only Memorial Day event, in an on-air interview with Fox News. Her comments led to the college cutting its ties with her.
In Connecticut, Yale University dean June Y. Chu was placed on leave and eventually stepped down from her job permanently after she left offensive reviews online for a restaurant and movie theater.
These two recent cases of college faculty being removed from their posts, shows the growing problem of public opinion and its place on college campuses.
As a result of Higgins’ removal, a number of conversations have been initiated to reveal the need to establish a boundary between what is said over social media and how faculty actually engage with their students.
