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Informative piece on the Katherine Franke case in the Washington Post

Here.  From the end of the article:

The letter giving that finding [of having violated the anti-discrimination policy] made no recommendation as to punishment. That would be for Franke’s dean to decide. But Franke knew, in that moment, that she wouldn’t wait to find out.

It was no longer possible for her to function as a Columbia professor, she felt. Colleagues had turned on her. She couldn’t face students in class without wondering whether they might record and report her. She still believed speaking out in her “Democracy Now!” interview had been the right thing to do — but, after an entire career waging battles, she no longer had the heart for this one.

She felt tears start. “So this,” she thought, “is how it ends.”

Just to be clear, this account is compatible with Professor Franke's claim about a constructive termination.  (Some people, even some law professors, do not seem to know what a claim of "constructive discharge" is; if you are unsure, please read this.)   We do not yet know whether Professor Franke was the victim of a constructive discharge, something a University Senate investigation at Columbia might clarify.

(As an aside, I will note that Professor Franke's Dean is my former Chicago colleague Daniel Abebe, who I am quite sure understands the academic freedom issues at stake here and would have imposed a reasonable sanction.  But Professor Franke's allegation about constructive discharge never made any reference to Dean Abebe's conduct in this matter [most of the events at issue, including the investigation, predated his arrival].)

(Thanks to Moti Gorin for the pointer.)

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