DePaul University students embarrass themselves with frontal assault on academic freedom

DePaul philosophy professor Jason Hill is a serial right-wing provocateur, who is, predictably I suppose, to the right of Likud when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians.  The response of some DePaul students is, alas, standard New Infantilism and "thought police" in one serving:

We, the students of DePaul University call upon the administration to censure Professor Hill for his heinous statements against marginalized communities. His comments create unsafe and uncomfortable spaces for everyone, especially Palestinian and Muslim students who now all refuse to enroll in a class that is taught by Professor Hill. We are not only seeking censure, but for Professor Hill to commit to racial sensitivity training and to release a public apology for his immoral conduct.

Palestinian students should probably approach his classes with caution, although what is "heinous" about Professor Hill's views has nothing to do with their target being "marginalized" (which rather understates the situation of the Palestinians).  (Professor Hill is himself a Black immigrant from Jamaica, so he can join the marginalized sweepstakes here, I suppose.)   No "space" at DePaul is now "unsafe" because of Professor Hill's heinous views: the students might visit, say, Gaza to see what an actual "unsafe" space is like.  No doubt some students are made "uncomfortable" by Professor Hill's views, but no doubt some students are "uncomfortable" with some of the views of every faculty member and every student on campus.   And although Professor Hill has no discernible scholarly competence in the topics on which he is opining, his speech is plainly extramural speech on a matter of public interest, for which he enjoys contractual protection against censure, discipline or sanction as a matter of academic freedom.

DePaul, of course, has a terrible history when it comes to academic freedom, as some readers will recall.  Here, so far, the University is holding firm.  No doubt the fact that the target of criticism is not Israel has helped firm up their commitment to academic freedom.