Tag Archives: NRA

Kansas, Where Science De-Evolves into Creation Myths

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Devin Smith | 8 comments

This is the fourth article in my evolving series of pieces prompted by the Kansas Regents’ new policy that eviscerates academic freedom and tenure. In my third installment I explained that the Regents’ action, while cowardly, unconstitutional, and self-destructive, was not taken on their initiative but in response to extortion by Kansas legislative leaders.

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8 Comments

Posted in William K. Black

Tagged academic freedom, creation myths, creationism, kansas, Koch, NRA

They’re Back: The Poltergeists in the Kansas Senate Renew their Attack on Education

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Stephanie Kelton | 13 comments

By William K. Black

Two Kansas legislative leaders who have been attacking Kansas education for over a decade through their wars on teaching about sex and evolution are back. Their threats drove the Regents’ policy destroying academic freedom and tenure.

Poltergeist: A ghost that manifests itself by noises, rappings, and the creation of disorder – from the German Poltern (to make noise) and Geist (ghost).

I have written two prior columns (here and here) explaining how the Kansas Regents casually ended academic freedom and tenure in their universities with no notice to or participation by the faculty.

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13 Comments

Posted in William K. Black

Tagged academic freedom, kansas, Koch, NRA

The Kansas Regents’ (Unintentional) Honesty about Academic Freedom

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Devin Smith | 21 comments

By William K. Black

I published a column this morning about the Kansas Regents’ effective elimination of academic freedom of tenure.

In thinking about the rule I realized that I had failed to make in blunt terms five points about how radical a rule it was. I circulated these five points about an hour ago to a number of my contacts.

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21 Comments

Posted in William K. Black

Tagged academic freedom, Koch, NRA

The Kansas Regents (Casually) End Academic Freedom

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Devin Smith | 47 comments

By William K. Black

Wednesday, December 18, 2013, the Kansas Board of Regents drastically curtailed tenure and academic freedom. The state attorney general aided this action. The Regents decided that when university faculty use common forms of modern communication (“social media”) they no longer have the protections of tenure and academic freedom. The Regents’ policy change does not even mention tenure or academic freedom. The Regents acted without consulting the faculty and without any open debate.

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