Steven Salaita sues U. of I. over lost job

[Behind the Aegis]

THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP!

Controversial professor Steven Salaita, whose job offer at the University of Illinois was withdrawn last year after he made anti-Israel comments on social media, has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging breach of contract and violation of his free speech rights..

The suit was filed Thursday against eight members of the university's board of trustees, several of its top administrators and unknown donors who he says put pressure on school officials to rescind his job offer. He seeks his previously offered job and unspecified compensation for "violations of his constitutional rights, including free speech and due process."

Salaita, 39, accepted the U. of I. position, a tenured faculty job in American Indian studies, in October 2013 and resigned from his position on the faculty at Virginia Tech University later that academic year in anticipation of starting at the U. of I. last fall. But Chancellor Phyllis Wise began raising concerns about his Twitter posts in July 2014 after getting feedback from donors, students and parents.

Over the summer, Salaita posted prolifically about the Israeli government and its military actions in Gaza, sometimes dozens of times a day. He often focused on the number of children killed in the conflict. His academic interests are colonialism and the Middle East, and the last book he published was titled "Israel's Dead Soul."

more...

see also: Salaita Sues; University of Illinois Responds



[hr]

Poor baby!