According to the New York Times, Maitland Jones, professor of organic chemistry at New York University (NYU), received a message from the dean of the department in August that he terminated his contract. The reason was a petition by Jones’ students. 80 of them signed the campaign stating that they had great difficulty in the lesson.
Chemistry professors who opposed the decision submitted a letter of appeal to NYU administration, saying they were concerned the litigation could undermine faculty freedom and undermine proven teaching practices.
Stephanie Lee, one of the professors who signed the letter, said in a post on Twitter: “We are all on the same side in wanting students to be successful. However, we have to prevent the teachers’ actions from being fear-based.”
“COURSE IS VERY HARD”
On the other hand, in the petition made by the students, it was claimed that Jones’ class was very difficult and that the professor did not provide enough resources and assistance to the students during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the students did not state in their petitions that Jones should be fired.
“We want you to realize that a professor of a course with such a high retention percentage and low grades does not make student learning and well-being a priority and reflects poorly on the institution as a whole, as well as the chemistry department,” the student petition said.
On the other hand, Jones, a professor known for his textbooks on organic chemistry, said he was considering retiring, but worried that NYU’s decision might mean something bad to other university professors and faculty.
In the statement made by the university, it was defended that Jones was fired considering the student failure with high support.
PARENTS AGAINST: STUDENTS ARE TREATED TOO TOLERANTLY
On the other hand, some students’ parents also reacted to Jones’ expulsion. Elicia Brand, founder of Army of Parents, said that the university’s decision shows that students are being treated with too much tolerance and that this is a problem.
“When paying for tuition at a reputable university, we expect quality professors to challenge our students intellectually, helping them thrive by challenging them to go beyond what is appropriate and comfortable,” Brand said.