This article by Prof. Hans-Hermann Hoppe details his battle with the administration at UNLV over his “insensitive” remarks in an economics class. It’s quite astounding how far the school was willing to go to mollify a member of a politically influential minority group (gays) over what was, to any reasonable observer, a perfectly sensible example of a factor that may affect an individual’s time preference.
The point that’s worth taking from this episode is that retreat and groveling in the face of an attack by university inquisitors is not the right strategy. Hoppe refused to apologize and launched a strong counter-attack against UNLV for its position that academic freedom isn’t for profs who say things that make members of “protected groups” feel hurt. In the end, UNLV had to back down.
Hoppe’s case should be instructive for all professors who in the future will face similar accusations.
It would even be a good idea for Larry Summers to pay attention to it.
