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by Nick Penzenstadler
Monday, March 5, 2007
A law professor at the center of a growing debate about racist comments he allegedly made in lecture spoke out for the first time since the controversy arose at an open meeting Friday.
Professor Leonard Kaplan is currently under scrutiny by members of the community and University of Wisconsin students after he allegedly made several comments about Hmong culture during a Feb. 15 lecture.
According to fellow law professor Ann Althouse, Kaplan briefly attended a weekly faculty meeting Friday to defend his comments.
"He said he didn't say them but understands why he was misunderstood and that he is preparing a response that is both compassionate and appropriate for a law professor," Althouse said. "Mostly he talked about how he cared about the law school — he emphasized the support he's heard from colleagues."
Althouse said Kaplan understands the sensitive issues involved and added he left the meeting allowing further discussion among the faculty.
When contacted by The Badger Herald Sunday, Kaplan declined further comment until he releases his response.
The Committee for Academic Freedom and Rights also released a statement Friday regarding the core issue of the debate — academic freedom — and criticized the law school's response.
According to the statement, which was signed by Althouse, committee president and law professor Donald Downs and several other committee members, the committee was "dismayed" by the law school's response to the dispute.
At a forum at the law school Thursday, students in Kaplan's class, along with several student organizations and community members, spoke out against the professor's comments. But because Kaplan did not attend, many saw the debate as one-sided.
It was a student's decision to spread awareness of Hmong culture at the March 1 forum, Althouse said, but she criticized the law school's choice to not become more involved.
"[The administration] could have controlled the message and presented it in a more multi-dimensional way," Althouse said. "Somebody representing Kaplan should have been there — I think that did him a great disservice."
The administration, Althouse added, trusted the students to ensure a fair presentation.
Law School Dean Ken Davis agreed that the organization of the forum was entirely dependent on students.
According to students who attended a private meeting with Kaplan five days after the incident, the professor attempted to turn the situation into a learning opportunity with a debate.
The proposed debate incited criticism from Mai Der Yang, who is in Kaplan's legal process class but was not present at the Feb. 15 lecture.
"He encouraged us to come to class with a statement to where we could engage in a public forum to discuss and debate whether his comments where true," Yang said at the forum. "He expected citations where we got this information."
The Academic Freedom Committee's statement said there was concern with the fallout from the public forum.
"There is a distinct possibility that the emotion and pressures surrounding this case, especially after the public meeting at the law school, … will have a chilling effect on honest and good faith discussion of racial and cultural issues in class and on campus," the statement said.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 10:13am):
You can't be serious. I heard him used Hmong as examples in the past but never to this extreme. Even if it was taken out of context, I still don't believe he actually said those things, publicly at least.
We need to dig to see if the Hmong students just made those words up. "Hmong men's only talent is to kill, Hmong men buy their wives and second-generation Hmong wind up in gangs." Someone made these works up, some reporter needs to look into it. It's like saying blackmen are stupid and do nothing but smoke dope and get high all day long or white whitemen knipnapped, killed and stored people in freezer for meal like Jeffrey Dahmer. There is no way these words came from the professor Kaplan. He;s not this stupid. He's an awesome professor, period.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 10:14am):
Go Althouse!
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 11:02am):
Care about the law? He must be kidding! What kind of law was he lecturing? His law applies to Hmong only? Did he mean that his Hmong law student did not understand English? It is OBVIOUS in his statements that he is prejudice against Hmong!
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 1:50pm):
"It is OBVIOUS in his statements that he is prejudice against Hmong!"
And what statements would those be? The third-hand made-up ones? Were you there? Have you heard a recording? Have you read anything other than rumors?
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 1:51pm):
"It is OBVIOUS in his statements that he is prejudice against Hmong!"
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kashia Moua, the Hmong student who first circulated Kaplan's comments, admits that the accusations made in her e-mail were "not well-informed." Could it be that we still do not know what professor Kaplan actually said?
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 2:16pm):
"[The administration] could have controlled the message and presented it in a more multi-dimensional way," Althouse said. "Somebody representing Kaplan should have been there -- I think that did him a great disservice."
Professor Kaplan was INVITED to attend the forum. He had a representative give an insufficient two sentence statement about why he couldn't be there. He did HIMSELF and everyone else who attended the forum a great disservice by not attending.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 3:09pm):
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kashia Moua, the Hmong student who first circulated Kaplan's comments, admits that the accusations made in her e-mail were "not well-informed." Could it be that we still do not know what professor Kaplan actually said?
Were you at the forum? I guess not, because if you were, you would have heard her NOT say that she was "not well-informed". I was at the forum. Whoever stated this in their report as a reporter should give up your job. You are incompentent. Stop printing lies or misinterpreting people's words.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 3:41pm):
"His law applies to Hmong only? Did he mean that his Hmong law student did not understand English? It is OBVIOUS in his statements that he is prejudice against Hmong!"
Two things are OBVIOUS:
-- Kaplan was trying to make a point about applying the same law to different cultures and;
-- He did a poor job of it
Extreme rants like yours do not help resolve this issue which has to do with academic freedom and hurt feelings. He will not and should not be fired over his statements. Get over it.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 3:49pm):
"'[The administration] could have controlled the message and presented it in a more multi-dimensional way,' Althouse said. 'Somebody representing Kaplan should have been there -- I think that did him a great disservice.'"
This, in a nutshell, shows what the UW is about. There is a lot more here than just a failure to control the message -- people are genuinely hurt and rightly so. Saying the UW didn't manipulate the message properly is very condescending and misses the point. The reason the UW has had so many problems with the legislature is for the same reason: the UW sees it as a PR problem when it is actually a problem of substance.
Kaplan should come clean and admit whatever part of this is his fault. He shouldn't be fired or censored but he certainly should admit his mistake(s) and learn more about Hmong culture before he uses any more 'cultural relativism' examples in his class.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 4:14pm):
Kaplan issued a statement and it seems obvious that he did not do anything wrong. He was right to skip the forum. Why would he attend a forum largely consisting of people who believe whatever some activist law student sent out over email? When you see Kaplan's statement the detractors will realize the people who made the serious mistakes are the supposed magnificent seven.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 4:40pm):
i was at the forum and kashia moua said clearly her email was "not well informed." she then said that did not really matter, that there was a larger issue that people do not understand who the hmong are. she did not care if she ruined kaplan's reputation. his statement demonstrates that her email was not well informed. hell, she wasn't even in the classroom. she should apologize to him for blowing this shit way out of proportion. i'm glad kaplan is vindicated and the morons who call for him to be fired should recognize that they need to hear all sides before jumping to stupid conclusions.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 5:02pm):
"...the supposed magnificent seven."
You mean the Malignant Seven, or maybe the Malevolent Seven, or maybe Malicious Seven.
I can't decide which is most appropriate but I am sure that magnificent doesn't fit. Maybe they were just the Misunderstanding Seven?
Malignant
1.disposed to cause harm, suffering, or distress deliberately; feeling or showing ill will or hatred.
2.very dangerous or harmful in influence or effect.
Malevolent
1.wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.
2.evil; harmful; injurious: a malevolent inclination to destroy the happiness of others.
Malicious
1.full of, characterized by, or showing malice; malevolent; spiteful: malicious gossip.
2.Law. vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 6:55pm):
Yes yes, it's called white privilege. I'm so happy to be white. Kaplan can't be racist, you know why? He has Hmong students in his class! He's teaching them! Would he teach them if he didn't like Hmong people? No he wouldn't! I can say whatever I want, I have my white people to back me up. And this? This is called Freedom of Speech!
Anonymous (March 5, 2007 @ 7:19pm):
read his statement moron...of course, his statement will not matter to someone who thinks everyone is a racist. you would like critical race theory.
Anonymous (March 6, 2007 @ 12:23am):
wow you are stupid:
he wants to get paid:
Yes yes, it's called white privilege. I'm so happy to be white. Kaplan can't be racist, you know why? He has Hmong students in his class! He's teaching them! Would he teach them if he didn't like Hmong people? No he wouldn't! I can say whatever I want, I have my white people to back me up. And this? This is called Freedom of Speech!
Anonymous (March 6, 2007 @ 12:25am):
Freedom of speech does not mean you discriminate someone for no reason. Also, when you are using the word "freedom of speech", it does not only apply to one ethnicity, it applies to everyone else.
Anonymous (March 6, 2007 @ 11:19am):
Why in the world would the students make these statements up? THINK ABOUT IT! As law students, time is not exactly something that can be wasted. I'm sure the law students have other things they would rather do than involve themselves in this. I don't think these students would bring it this far if those statements were never made. Let's all use our common sense here. I know it goes against everything we know to hear that such statements were made by a professor at this school, but the reality is that it happened. Even worse, it can happen again. Until we acknowledge that these things do happen here, they'll never be addressed. We're only lying to ourselves if we're so naive as to buy into Kaplan's strategic defense of "I never said those things". If that were so, then how come his other students said he did say them but they were taken out of context?
Anonymous (March 6, 2007 @ 2:12pm):
You're right Althouse, Kaplan should have been there. He's a coward for not showing up after making such derogatory statements. He's was invited to the forum and didn't show up, what does that say of his character? If he really never made those statements, why not respond immediately and say that? Why wait two weeks to say "I never made those statements?" His inaction speaks for him. He did have a representative, Larsen who read his statement! What about a representative for the students? Why is it that someone who has the power of tenure and authority of a professor need a representative?
Refugee Kid (March 14, 2007 @ 12:37pm):
i love how white folks can make racist remarks against minorities and then later apologize for it or state that "it was taken out of context" or "misinterpreted", etc. i also love how they think that just b/c they have a few minority friends makes them not racist. i have a few dollar bills but i'm no millionaire.
welcome to america. if you ain't white, you ain't right.
Anonymous (May 2, 2007 @ 10:11pm):
I like how everytime a white person portays any negative aspect of another race it's automatically racism and the person is immediately a racist. I wasn't at the lecture. I don't know if what he said was racist or not. I'm not here to say whether he was right or wrong. All I have to say is that people who weren't there and didn't hear what he said have no right to call him a racist. Maybe he is the most racist person in the world, I don't know, but I wont' condemn him based on the comments of someone who was not even there to hear what he said. And to the person who made a comment just above me: In case you didn't realize it, you sound pretty damn racist towards white people. "I like how it's not considered racist when you make racial remarks about white people but it's not considered racism"
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