Harvard Dean Lawrence Bobo Faces Backlash Over Faculty Speech Restrictions and Student Protest Criticism

Jun 15, 2024, 10:20 PM

Harvard Dean of Social Science, Lawrence Bobo, has sparked controversy by arguing that tenured professors should be punished for speech that might incite external actors, including the media, to intervene in Harvard's affairs. Bobo's stance has drawn criticism from various quarters, with some arguing that it is essential for faculty to be able to criticize university administrators publicly. This debate comes in the context of Bobo's previous actions, including working with former Harvard president Claudine Gay to suspend Roland Fryer and shut down his lab. Bobo also criticized the current crop of student protesters, arguing that their protests are considerably removed from the inarguably heroic actions of past student activists.