It happened in February. It’s a video where a teacher, Warren Smith, is seen engaging in a conversation with a student who alleged that J.K. Rowling was transphobic. It quickly went viral. In less than five minutes, Smith, uncondescending, forces the student to rethink his position. The student admits he feels like an idiot after the pair discussed the phrasing and logical trajectory of the debate about the Harry Potter creator who has become persona non grata for her views on gender despite being an ardent leftist.
This is utterly brilliant. A student accuses @jk_rowling of being transphobic. This teacher skilfully dissects the claim and challenges it by asking questions.
— Lee Harris (@addicted2newz) February 3, 2024
He teaches not what to think, but how to think critically.
Watch until the end.
You see the epiphany in real-time. pic.twitter.com/x00gWdOugc
Now, Mr. Smith has been fired from his teaching position, where he had devoted four years of his life. He’s visibly frustrated and aghast at the conduct of his colleagues:
“Seven days ago I was fired from my school after 4 years of teaching. I recorded this the following day in order to share my perspective - honestly & in good faith - in order to move forward and put this experience behind me. I have no desire to cause complications or bring unwanted attention to the school, so I will not divulge anything beyond that. It is important to me to be able to speak truthfully and honestly about one of the most challenging periods in the story of my life, in order to move onto a new chapter. I hope all can respect one another's privacy, freedom of speech, & treat each other with dignity - especially during such times.
He never expounded upon the particulars of his termination, except that the school and its legal team allegedly fired him over concerns about what might be posted on the Internet from his accounts relating to the institution or something along those lines. In essence, the school tried to slam him over fears that he’d divulge internal information, which is a fireable offense in most places. However, Smith noted the numerous podcasts and media hits where no such sensitive information was relayed.
Smith even noted that his colleagues often asked how their local celebrity was doing and what other interviews were on his schedule. That attitude changed on a dime, which put this man through the wringer—the malleability of objectivity, as he put it. His computer was seized, which contained multiple projects he was working on, including a book for the past two years.
We hope this man lands on his feet soon.
This teacher went viral after calmly and brilliantly questioning a student who called JK Rowling a “bigot." Now he's been fired. https://t.co/yxWgAxaX07
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) May 15, 2024