Thread by @fourteenhearts

This has been so infuriating to watch. #Journalism faculty at last institution, @OleMissRebels, tried to out sources of an investigative piece about their department’s lack of transparency around racist remarks from donors.

https://twitter.com/DonnerKay/status/1330172663659192323

Those remarks were made to my former Dean and some posted online, saying the town square replicated an African jungle. One major donor posted to his FB wall and was called out (had name removed from building).

Private email exchanges between racist donors and former Dean remained silent until a public records request made them visible to all.

@MSFreePress’s @ashtonpittman did an in-depth investigative piece on everything that transpired, including a remark the former Dean made to me during a 2018 graduation ceremony where he jokingly referred to his cap/gown as a Klan hood.

I was asked to be interviewed, and I did - without anonymity. No regrets. I have much more protection not being there anymore and I felt like my former colleagues would take to heart my words (as they’ve had many closed door discussions about this stuff with me).

Some faculty reached out - appreciated that I chose to speak. Others decided to try and discredit me, publicize private information to public platforms, or trashing the paper itself to protect the reputation of their department and deflect from this investigation.

Most astonishing was that #journalism faculty in the department actively pursued outing sources for the investigative piece. They sent emails, collected names, harassed the paper’s editor. Like...COME ON.

Faculty have been accused of being Winston, the anonymous source who pulled request for emails & sparked this investigation. Without actual proof, the University has opened investigations into faculty for potentially leaking info BUT NOT THE ADMIN WHO COURT RACIST DONORS.

This means that even attempting to advocate at @OleMissRebels could lose you your job. Which is evidently true as the University has also yet to defend JT Thomas for choosing to participate in the #scholarstrike - while the state auditor wants him fired.

Stay with me folks...
The most blatant disregard for #journalism practices are to negate freedom of press & attempt to out sources. Faculty of an R1 School of Journalism should understand this. #highered

I’m furious that the University who contributed to some of the most blatant protection of racist actions I had to endure, the one that COUKD HAVE grown since I left, is putting faculty through possible job loss because they cannot handle negative press.

P.S. the going line is apparently that those who might be Winston are contributing to a “hostile work environment” & that the efforts have been targeted towards faculty of color - which, on the whole, is just utter bullshit.

Winston may have unearthed how some faculty gained tenure without a PhD (against IHL standards for them - though correct me if I’m wrong). And some posts may have been about faculty of color (from what I’ve read mainly about those who tried to uncover anonymous sources)

However, a hostile work environment because a faculty meeting about racist actions was recorded - then publicly shared? I could name a million reasons why there was a hostile work environment and they didn’t have shit to do with possible recorded faculty meetings

Topping on my thread: my former Dean (not teaching - not sure what his role is) currently earns $200k at the University. He did call to apologize over the Summer. I don’t hold ill feelings about him, but that was a dick move by the University.

*could* - I was feverishly typing, obviously