Recently some of the comments I have made on Twitter were copied and publicized without my knowledge. I understand that some of these comments have been upsetting to students and others. I deeply regret the harm this has caused the Drake community. I am totally committed to open and fair dialogue on our campus and in my classroom; and my students would tell you this. My teaching record would also attest to my creating an environment that is safe for liberals and conservatives, and everyone in-between.
I will also assert that my personal political views are just that. They have nothing to do with me as an educator. While I do understand that some of the comments were upsetting to conservative students, I assert that Drake is (as a community) committed to open dialogue among students. The students that publicized my comments have not been in my classes; nor do they know me personally. The conflation between my political comments and my pedagogy is false. I treat each of my students with respect, and my teaching record reveals that.
These students did not contact me or reach out to ask questions–their targeted harassment is a common tactic used by Turning Point USA to harass “liberal” educators and create conflict. While I do regret the harm this has caused, I think the students involved are misguided.