Lawrence Rosen, the Princeton professor who used a racial slur last week in a class on offensive speech, announced Monday that the course will be canceled.
“I have reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s offering of Anthropology 212,” Rosen wrote in an announcement to students in the class.
Rosen made the decision to cancel the course, acting University spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss wrote in a statement to the University Press Club. “There was no pressure from the University,” Hotchkiss wrote.
This comes less than a week after Carolyn Rouse, the chair of the Anthropology Department, defended Rosen’s use of the slur, commonly referred to as the n-word.
Many students objected to Rosen’s use of the word, saying that it was offensive and prevented them from learning.
At a town hall meeting Monday afternoon, University President Christopher Eisgruber said that Rosen had to make a “difficult decision” in whether to cancel the class. “I respect Professor Rosen’s decision to teach the subject in the way that he did,” Eisgruber said.
Eisgruber also reaffirmed his view that free speech and inclusion are not in conflict on campus. “For me, inclusivity is not about protecting people from offense.”
This is a developing story, and it will be updated as the University Press Club learns more.
[…] a course on freedom of expression at Princeton University has been “reluctantly” cancelled, Professor Lawrence Rosen informed his students in an email obtained by THE WEEKLY STANDARD. […]
I must be dumb – The N-Word derives complete hysteria – A repulsive world – but a word nonetheless. BUT – having the pleasure of finding my teens phone bluetoothed to my car and a deelightful Spotify sperwing rap and hip hop – I have never head the N-Word used so many time in my life. This is a very strange selective outrage,. N-Word in repulsive racist, sexist, drug laced music ok. N-Word used any other way – A capital offence? If its that offensive – demand it not be used – in any and all formats – If not – then STFU – Your outrage is as fake as your selective indignity.