Nebraska Faculty, Students to Protest Canceling of Bill Ayers Lecture

The controversy over Bill Ayers continues this week in America's heartland. On Friday, November 14, a teach-in protest is taking place on the Lincoln campus at the University of Nebraska. Flyers are billing the event as a chance to "make Nebraska history" as students and faculty come "to protest UNL's decision to cancel the November 15 lecture by Prof. William Ayers and that decision's violation of academic freedom."

Ayers was originally invited to give a lecture as part of an education conference this weekend. When news of his scheduled appearance came into the spotlight, an outcry from some Nebraskans and university donors prompted the university to retract the invitation for Professor Ayers to speak. A number of faculty and students intend to show they protest that decision on Friday afternoon.

Participants are being invited to join "open discussions on academic freedom" and hear individuals present about "the history of defending civil rights in Nebraska." At least one group of faculty and students is planning to meet before the protest and walk together to the event as a display of solidarity.

Although this weekend's conference is being run by the College of Education, the English Graduate Student Association is sponsoring Friday's teach-in. Faculty from several departments, including English and education plan to present their perspectives on the issues at stake. Following a video covering the history of teach-ins, speakers will address topics that include on academic freedom and its history at UNL. To conclude the event, a faculty member will read "What I Might Have Said" and "The Right to Think at All" by William Ayers.

Sources:

Flyer by the University of Nebraska English Graduate Student Association, "Teach-In on Academic Freedom." Distributed on the UNL campus during the week of November 10, 2008.

Lee, Melissa. "UNL cancels William Ayers speech." Lincoln Journal Star.