College releases statement on professor who wished Queen ‘excruciating’ death
Topics: The Queen, Royal Family, US News, Jeff Bezos
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: @ujuanya/Twitter/Carnegie Mellon University/Facebook
Topics: The Queen, Royal Family, US News, Jeff Bezos
Carnegie Mellon University has released a statement in response to one of its professor's tweets that wished Queen Elizabeth II an 'excruciating' death.
On the morning of 8 September, news of the Queen's ill-health arose, before later in the day it was announced that she had passed away at the age of 96.
But amongst the millions mourning this loss, professor of linguistics and associate professor of second language acquisition at Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Uju Anya, took to Twitter to comment on the Queen's health, wishing her 'excruciating' pain.
Dr. Anya's since-removed tweet read: "I heard the chief monarch of the thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating."
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After her tweet was removed for violating Twitter's terms of service by wishing harm upon another, the professor followed: "If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star."
The professor was called out by the likes of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and now, her comments have been responded to by Carnegie Mellon University.
In a statement posted to Twitter, the university responded: "We do not condone the offensive and objectionable messages posted by Uju Anya today on her personal social media account.
"Free expression is core to the mission of higher education, however, the views she shared absolutely do not represent the values of the institution, nor the standards of discourse we seek to foster."
A statement regarding recent social media posts by Uju Anya. pic.twitter.com/NinpPa4rZg
— Carnegie Mellon University (@CarnegieMellon) September 8, 2022
While the university has publicly condemned Dr. Anya's tweet, it has yet to reveal whether the professor may be subject to any sort of disciplinary action.
Some have called for the professor to be struck off from her position because of her tweets about Queen Elizabeth II.
One user wrote: "No decent institution could keep anyone on their staff who expresses such beliefs. I can’t believe that she has not breached her contract of employment."
Another threatened to 'withdraw' their children from the university unless further action was taken.
A third resolved: "I’m sorry – but that is simply not good enough."
No. Freedom of expression is a must. You can't shut someone up and try to get them fired just because they said something you don't want to hear. Believe it or not, she spoke the truth.
— Zinny Onye Highway (@mouse_ani) September 8, 2022
However, partner at law firm Husch Blackwell in Austin, Texas, Scott Schneider, told The Post how firing Dr. Anya may not be as easy as some Twitter users think.
He noted the importance of free speech and how her contract may allow her to use her social media as she pleases, without being at risk of it affecting her career at the school.
In the past, Carnegie Mellon University has kept on a professor despite it facing backlash for appointing him as a senior fellow when he was a former Trump administration official, subsequently gaining it the reputation of being an strong upholder of freedom of speech.
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