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Kaplan critic wins Law School prize
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Also by Carl Jaeger:
- Many eager to pick chancellor (December 11, 2007)
- Officials debate Wiley's legacy (December 10, 2007)
- 'No guarantee' in UW success (December 10, 2007)
- New rules apply for UW seg fees (December 7, 2007)
- Regents hear about booze, textbooks (December 7, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Students lambaste professor (March 2, 2007)
- Kaplan revisits Hmong issues (December 6, 2007)
- Kaplan refutes student claims (March 6, 2007)
- Professor to share story of alleged racist remarks (December 3, 2007)
- Professor under fire for remarks (February 23, 2007)
by Carl Jaeger
Friday, May 4, 2007
The University of Wisconsin law student who first started the outrage regarding a professor's comments about the Hmong community will be honored with an award May 18.
KaShia Moua is receiving the Barbara B. Crabb Award for "promoting the ideals of honestly, fairness and equality" under law, UW Law School Assistant Dean Ruth Robarts said.
In February, Moua circulated information alleging UW law professor Leonard Kaplan made racially charged statements about Hmong culture in a Feb. 15 lecture, which she did not attend. The ensuing controversy prompted an emotionally charged community forum, and prompted some to call for Kaplan's dismissal. In an open letter dated March 5, Kaplan denied making the statements Moua attributed to him.
Moua will receive the award May 18 at the annual Honors and Awards brunch before the UW Law School's "Presentation of the Colors" at the Monona Terrace. Robarts applauded Moua for her passion during the Kaplan incident and said Moua displayed strong signs of leadership throughout the ordeal.
"During the controversy here, and despite all the controversy and bad feelings, I think personally that she showed a great deal of honestly, integrity and self-restraint," Robarts said.
Moua also helped guide students through a difficult time, Robarts added, and thus kept everyone's feelings voiced and organized.
"She provided some leadership during what could have been an even more difficult time here at the Law School," Robarts said.
As of press time, Moua did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Although Moua played an imperative role in speaking out against Kaplan, Robarts said, she was involved with the UW Law School in many other areas that contributed to her award.
"That was not the only thing that she has done since she's been here," Robarts said. "Many of our students who get these types of awards distinguish themselves in services to clients or clinical programs."
Law School Dean Ken Davis was unavailable for comment Thursday.
The Barbara B. Crabb Award is given away annually based on nominations from UW Law School faculty. Crabb is currently a federal judge for Madison's western district, Robarts said, adding that she is "very well respected."
The award is funded by Crabb's current and former law clerks, as well as a number of local attorneys.
"They admired what they saw when they were working for her and they created a fund in her name that they allow us to give out once a year," Robarts said.
Recipients of the award "receive a certificate and a small cash prize" of an undisclosed amount, Robarts added.
The UW Law School gives out numerous awards at its annual Honors and Awards Brunch, and all are based on various criteria. Robarts declined to disclose which professor nominated Moua.
When contacted by The Badger Herald Thursday, both Kaplan and the UW Hmong American Student Association declined comment.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 8:30am):
She shouldn't be able to accept the award unless they take out the "honesty and fairness" portions.
On another note, is this even news-worthy? There are 45 students that will be receiving awards.
-1L
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 9:30am):
" she showed a great deal of honestly, integrity and self-restraint"
ROFLMAO, especially the "self-restraint" part.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:18am):
It would be appropriate for her to accept the award in absentia - just like that day in class.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:27am):
More importantly what did Kashia have for breakfast?
- Germain E. Stemme
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:29am):
"In February, Moua circulated information alleging UW law professor Leonard Kaplan made racially charged statements about Hmong culture in a Feb. 15 lecture, which she did not attend."
Um how the hell did she circulate information about something SHE WASNT THERE FOR!!!!!!!!
We are giving an award for this?? I took a big crap yesterday, ok, im ready for my award!
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:36am):
She is deserving of so much more than this award. 1L, don't be so jealous... You will probably never see an award during your time in law school, should you make it through.
And yes... to those like you, this is news worthy. Apparently people like you haven't done enough bashing of minority students who stand up for what they know is right.
For those of you who think a situation such as this one is so easy to deal with, obviously you've never been the target of a racist act. Wake up and don't be so blind. Things like this happen everyday, everywhere. As members of society we all have a duty to learn from these events in an effort to better our society. It takes courage to stand up against the majority, something the majority lacks and has forgotten.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:42am):
"She is deserving of so much more than this award."
Oh, I think everyone can agree about that.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:43am):
SHE. WASNT. IN. CLASS. WHEN. IT. HAPPENED.
How can she comment on this in the first place?? Its all hearsay. Didnt she learn what hearsay is in law school?
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:52am):
"We are giving an award for this?? I took a big crap yesterday, ok, im ready for my award!"
This is a very crude comment. And you missed the point completely. Your excrement would have had to falsely accuse someone of racism to be newsworthy.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 10:55am):
Seriously? She wasn't even at the lecture? Maybe she should take a criminal defense class - witnesses are not as reliable as one would think, especially witnesses that didn't actually witness anything.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 11:24am):
"For those of you who think a situation such as this one is so easy to deal with, obviously you've never been the target of a racist act."
You are right, this is not an easy situation to deal with. But in order to deal with racism, it is necessary to have an open discusssion about it. Kaplan put stereotypes that we know are out there in order to have a discussion. Obviously if you take something like this out of context you can make anyone look like a racist. The wrong people are being attacked, professors like Kaplan are not the reason racism is still a problem today.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 2:31pm):
"For those of you who think a situation such as this one is so easy to deal with, obviously you've never been the target of a racist act."
Every time YOU get something because of your race, gender or orientation, it hurts people like ME (white, straight and male).
Germane F Stemme
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 2:35pm):
The law school needs diversity to stay "competitive." This is just the school's way of trying to look like it really cares about minority students in the wake of Kaplan's comments....similar to the "Asian Festival" that was recently held at the law school. Ruth Robarts and Dean Davis started out handling the situation poorly and they continue to do so.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 3:33pm):
"It takes courage to stand up against the majority"
Is it still "courage" when you are absolutely wrong? Or is it it just ignorance?
Actaully, Kaplan was the target of the only racist act in this story.
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 4:57pm):
poster 2:35 is my hero
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 5:18pm):
So glad so many people saw the ridiculousness of this award.
She gets a symposium and an award? What's next her very own Facebook group? Maybe a chair in her honor in a classroom? (not that anyone would ever be present in class to see the seat)
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 6:49pm):
"Ruth Robarts and Dean Davis started out handling the situation poorly and they continue to do so."
Amen!
Anonymous (May 4, 2007 @ 9:34pm):
So many ignornat people posting, don't see the larger picture but only what will affect them short-term. A lot of Americans believe that race is not a problem, but still is.
Anonymous (May 6, 2007 @ 5:25pm):
"A lot of Americans believe that race is not a problem, but still is."
I THINK EVERYBODY BELIEVES THAT RACE IS A PROBLEM, THEY JUST DON'T AGREE ON WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR ON WHO CAUSES THE PROBLEM.
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 8:21am):
Actually, she does have her own facebook group. Way to go, Kash! Congrats on your award.
Anonymous (May 8, 2007 @ 8:37pm):
It is extremely discouraging to read such ignorant comments from people who may one day represent people who experience injustices or injury from comments such as the one made by Professor Kaplan.
It is most often those present in this type of situation that do not speak up. A person does not necessary need to expeirence first hand the situation in order to faciliate, and guide. Isn't that what lawyers do? When they represent, isn't their argument based on what those present at an event tell them?
Kashia spoke out on behalf of those who could and would not and was willing to field the negativity that would come from this. Great work Kashia!
Kaohly Her
Bader Alumni 1995
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 9:01am):
Dear Bader Alumni:
Actually, no. A good lawyer would not base arguments only on what witnesses or clients told her. Professional ethics require considerably more. And by the way, very few of the comments here are from law students, so don't despair about the future of the profession.
Do you really think that racists everywhere will hesitate before they think or say something that might hurts someone's feelings now that a decent and well-meaning law professor was wrongly accused?
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 10:20am):
Dear Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 9:01am),
Do you think Kashia conjured the whole story of Professor Kaplan up out of thin air? Apparently, "witnesses" had to have provided details of the comments as it was clear that Kashia was not present at the time the comments were made. And no, I don't think that racists everywhere will hesitate before they think or say something that might hurt someone's feelings. If you and the other readers think that is the issue at heart, then I am further discouraged.
The issue is when people who are perceived as well educated and respected make racists comments; society is more apt to believe it to be the truth. What may be perceived as well meaning comments perpetuate stereotypes which does have real Ramifications. Racism leads to discrimination.
In this day and age, White Americans still believe that African & Latino Americans are less intelligent, less hard working and less patriotic than whites. These stereotypes contribute largely to why the average black male worker earns $731 for every $1000 earned by a white male worker and Latino men earn $810 for every $1000 earned by similarly educated white men.
Women are still perceived to have less leadership skills than men which is why although white males make up only 43% of the workforce, they occupy 97% of the top executive positions of America's corporations. Women hold only 3-5% of senior positions in the private sector. Overall, Americans women earn 72% of what men make for comparable work, African American women 63% and Latina women 57%.
"Hurt" feelings aside, as a minority and woman, perpetuated stereotypes leads to unfair and untrue judgment of my character, my value and what I bring to the table as a human being. That my friend is the issue. Badger Alum 1995.
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 1:13pm):
Oh. I am sorry your "value" rests on something so flimsy and changeable as what other people think about you or, worse yet, pay you. I hope the UW did not teach you this.
But I can also see from your post why you would assume Kaplan and every other member of the majority (however defined) was guilty, regardless of what he actually said or meant. Best of luck with everything.
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 2:31pm):
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 1:13pm), it's too bad you don't get it. But it's not surprising. You are probably a young, naive, white college student who thinks you know more than you really do. It's sad that you would think someone's value "rests on something so flimsy and changeable as what other people think about you or, worse yet, pay you." How one deimensional and simplistic. It's not even worth the time to go into as you wouldn't get it anyway. Your loss.
Anonymous (May 9, 2007 @ 4:44pm):
Would one be right to assume that throughout your life anyone who has stood in your way, or has something you want, "just doesn't get it"? And that everything you have ever identified as a source of your unhappiness or frustration or deprivation is someone else's fault? And that often you can tell who is to blame for your unhappiness just by their gender and race? It must be sad, but strangely reassuring, to live in a world like that. Some religions offer the same solace.
But back a little closer to the original point - professors who look like Kaplan are guilty even before they actually say anything, are they not?
Anonymous (May 19, 2007 @ 10:23am):
" You are probably a young, naive, white college student who thinks you know more than you really do. "
Who's the racist now?
The professor spoke about how racial stereotypes affect the law, and used racial stereotypes of Hmong people as an example, not saying that was his belief, just that it was a stereotype.
And now you're telling one who doesn't agree with you that there is no surprise he doesn't get it, since he's a white male after all... Hypocrite. I'm glad that all these people calling for his termination are so vocal, they waste no time proclaiming how illogical they are in all maters, not just this one. Can't wait 'till you're a lawyer and a member of the jury doesn't get it because they're white.
Anonymous (August 14, 2007 @ 3:54pm):
"The wrong people are being attacked, professors like Kaplan are not the reason racism is still a problem today."
True they are not. But as a supposed scholar of certain academic integrity who Kaplan happens to be if they ignorantly originate racist views instilling it to innocent minds then obviously they are solely responsible for racism and its fruition. UW-Madison does have academic integrity right? Or am I blind given Kaplan's condescending racist remarks going unpunished.
"Do you really think that racists everywhere will hesitate before they think or say something that might hurts someone's feelings now that a decent and well-meaning law professor was wrongly accused?"
Wrongly accused? More like self-inflicted and rightfully asserted. The only wrong is that the school, dean and its administrators failed miserably to take just action towards one of their own. I guess that's what makes cretans like Kaplan so bold in their bigotry.
"The issue is when people who are perceived as well educated and respected make racists comments; society is more apt to believe it to be the truth."
AMEN!!! Thankfully not all scholars are Kaplan cronies. What a disgrace to the school and other academic colleagues not to mention the university.
(May 9, 2007 @ 10:20am):
BEST POST asides from all the racist bigots. You know who you are.
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