The Badger Herald

NEWS

Professor to share story of alleged racist remarks

Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.

Also by Beth Mueller:

University primate research funding comes under scrutiny (December 5, 2007)
Professor to share story of alleged racist remarks (December 3, 2007)
Smoking cause of Bedford fire (November 28, 2007)
Alvarez pushes for tax breaks (November 15, 2007)
College Democrats host legislators (November 13, 2007)

by Beth Mueller

Monday, December 3, 2007

A University of Wisconsin professor will break his silence this week on the controversy surrounding student reaction to allegedly racist remarks he made in a lecture last semester.

Students from the Hmong community accused law professor Leonard Kaplan of making "racist and inappropriate" remarks in an e-mail circulated following the Feb. 15 lecture, igniting campuswide debate on academic freedom and racism against Hmong people.

Kaplan will give a speech Wednesday titled "My Story" of the Hmong/Law School Incident Last Spring. Kaplan is a Madison Rotary Club Member, and the event is open only to members and their guests.

Rotary Club Secretary Patricia Jenkins said Kaplan would be presenting on teaching multicultural issues in the classroom and that she thought the Rotary Club's title of the presentation doesn't reflect the actual topic very accurately.

"I'm not so sure he's going to be talking about that particular incident," Jenkins said. "I believe it's going to be a broader topic he's speaking about. I guess he will perhaps use examples."

Jenkins added Kaplan's presentation was consistent with the kinds of presentations usually given at Rotary Club meetings by members.

"We try to have a variety of topics, some more timely issues and that kind of thing," Jenkins said.

Following accusations of racism last semester expressed in an open forum with hundreds of attendees, Kaplan released a statement in the form of a letter to Law School Dean Ken Davis March 5 in response to the attacks against him.

"Many of the statements attributed to me in press accounts and e-mails are hateful," Kaplan wrote. "Had I made the hateful comments wrongly attributed to me, I would repudiate them without hesitation. I did not make them."

Some of the statements students alleged Kaplan made include, "Hmong men have no talent other than to kill" and "all second-generation Hmong end up in gangs and other criminal activity."

Kaplan declined to comment on his decision to speak at the Rotary Club and the content of his remarks.

Feedback

Show all comments

Hide anonymous comments

richard xiong (December 3, 2007 @ 11:18am):

While everyone is entitled to their constitutional right to free speech, including the Rotary Club of Madison, the decision to have Mr. Kaplan's views exclusively expressed at an organization with such "high ethical standars...good will and peace" is a slap in the face for the Hmong American community...whom Mr. Kaplan has written off and to this day...and unwilling confront and make amends. Shame on the Rotary Club of Wisconsin, and all Rotarians who will knowing inflame this issue further. Our community will not quiet stand by and watch this publicity stunt by Mr. Kaplan.

Anonymous (December 3, 2007 @ 2:53pm):

i agree with Richard that everyone is entitled to his/her constitutional right to free speech at any where is best suited to him/her. but to reopen up this wound to a well-known rotary club as this would be another slap on the face to the Hmong American community. if he would to do it, why not speak on an open forum where the common citizens can attend and able to ask questions.

the harm was already done, and there was not only one student that came out as he said, she said. Again, this matter was done right in front of the whole classroom--and there was at least 3 students came forward and reiterated the statements that were said. The matter was done during the university times and place--and its calculation was well done in a presetting stage.

I sincerely hope that this would the last time of speaking about this matter, otherwise, we would ask for accountable and refute--and then, the flame would be burning without a closure.

Anonymous (December 3, 2007 @ 2:56pm):

Richard...from reading the other articles surrounding the incident it seems as if students have had the chance to express their view in an open forum. Hearing another point of veiw does not inherantly make this a "publicity stunt" or intentionally inflammatory. Perharps he might even use the things he has stated he learned from the incident to promote cultural awareness. Best to not judge before hearing what happens...you say he has the right to speak but apparently do not wish to hear any opinion different from your own.

Anonymous (December 3, 2007 @ 6:47pm):

Well, this is a little surprising. he is a professor and i think that in such a position he should know better than to say he won't comment more about the incident, then later announce that he will make a speech at a Members-ONLY presentation when he knows that the people who really deserve to hear his story is all the student body of the university, not just some private club.

i think some things were blown out of proportion by the students who felt insulted, but i as sad about the professors actions afterwards. even if he did not say those things, he should be able to address the student population and tell them that he had not meant any sort of insults at all and apologize for any un-intened insults that students took from the comments. he should explain the comments he made in their context, assure the students that he will try harder next time to be careful about his statements about other cultures to not give the wrong ideas to students. He's a professors, he should be the adult and take responsibility (Not for the comments if he did not say them) for the misunderstanding among the students.

Anonymous (December 3, 2007 @ 8:47pm):

Why should he apologize because people couldn't understand him? That is stupid.

Anonymous (December 4, 2007 @ 12:33am):

Quoted from above:

"tell them that he had not meant any sort of insults at all and apologize for any un-intened insults that students took from the comments"

That is exactly what his written statement said. Does he have to repeat himself? I'm becoming increasingly convinced that many will not accept anything short of his removal, regardless of the facts. Too many people formed an opinion based upon the initial email that circulated and have refused to accept anything to the contrary.

Anonymous (December 6, 2007 @ 7:12pm):

Can Kaplan shut up unless he wants to be kicked out of the university. What is old news leave it that way. No need to bring it out again unless you are guilty and want to express something. If so address it to the whole community not your dumb Rotary Club of Madison. 10-4

Anonymous (February 13, 2008 @ 11:27pm):

"Why should he apologize because people couldn't understand him? That is stupid."

How ignorant. That's is by far the most ignorant thing anyone can say. It's not the apology that we're looking for.

"However, if a professorâ��s lecture does in fact provoke certain students and those students wish to engage in further discussion or debate, that professor should be willing to take part in continued discussion. We pay for and invest in a multidimensional education; not one-way lectures."

So, instead of a HIGH CLASS members only apology presentation... Perhaps he should think about apologizing to the students. I mean... when a sex offender is real eased, he as to knock on everyone's door in the neighborhood that he lives in... It may not be as harsh as a sex offender, but it burns. And word kills.

Anonymous (March 24, 2008 @ 5:27pm):

I don't know what this professor said or what he didn't say. Only those students who were in class on that fateful day know exactly what was said. However, after reading and listening to comments from some non-Hmong students and professors about what was said and what was not said, I agree that the professor is entitled to his opinion due to the freedom of speech. What I utterly disagree with is when these other students and professors who are not Hmong say that Hmong students should not be offended by what was said. Who the hell are you to say that we should not be offended? Since when did you become the moral compass of human emotions? How dare you claim the right to say whatever you want and then say that others should not feel they way they feel. Thus, in the name of freedom of speech and social satirical commentary, take your apple pie and shove it up your Chevrolet.

Add a comment

We welcome your thoughts, but please keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments may be deleted.