The University of Cincinnati (UC) reversed its reprimand of a gender studies professor who failed a student for using the term “biological women” in an assignment about how transgender athletes are erasing women’s sports.
According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, professor Melanie Nipper argued that her decision to flunk the student fell within the boundaries of the school’s free speech policy. An email obtained by the Enquirer reportedly showed that the university’s reprimand was “issued in error” and would be removed from her file after Nipper appealed the punishment.
In a statement, the student, Olivia Krolcyzk, said that the decision is “an injustice to students everywhere” and that “UC is affirming that professors will have no consequences for failing students with dissenting opinions.”
“Congrats to the University of Cincinnati for contributing to the erasure of women and for letting future students know that they must conform to certain ideologies or else they will be punished,” she added.
To recap, Townhall covered how Krolcyzk posted a series of videos on TikTok that went viral last month detailing how her professor failed her on the assignment. In the videos, Krolcyzk shared screenshots of their emails back and forth about the use of the term “biological women.”
An image of the grading sheet displayed on the screen shows that the professor said the proposal was “solid” but that “the terms ‘biological women’ are exclusionary and are not allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity[.]”
@oliviakrolczyk Emailed her and was told using the term is transphobic 😐 be for real
♬ original sound - oliviakrolczyk
@oliviakrolczyk I guess I’m the clown since I pay to have her teach me #wokeprofessors ♬ original sound - oliviakrolczyk
In a follow-up video, Krolczyk revealed that she was going to send her assignment and all her correspondences with the professor to the school’s Office of Equal Opportunity. She mentioned in another video that her professor said her rhetoric was “transphobic” and that she was “implementing ‘TERF’ ideology.” “TERF” stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism.
“The project is about feminism. How is it not feminism to say that biological men competing in women’s sports is affecting biological women?” Krolczyk said.
The Daily Mail reported last month that Nipper boasted about failing students failing students who don't follow her woke agenda on gender and race, explaining that free speech ends when "you are, intentionally or unintentionally, participating in a systemic harm of some kind." This includes what she seems as "transphobic."
@oliviakrolczyk Let’s put an end to this in our schools.
♬ original sound - oliviakrolczyk
On June 14, Ashley Currier, who spearheads the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department at UC, issued a formal reprimand to Nipper asking her to attend free speech training and submit her syllabi ahead of time for approval, the Enquirer reported. The report added that the situation "has taken an immense emotional and psychological toll" on the professor, as she's receiving "hate e-mails" and phone calls. In response to the backlash, Nipper told the outlet her situation showcases "the very real harm and threat people can pose when their worldview is informed by white supremacy, cisheteronormativity, classism, patriarchy, and more."
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