A tenured economics professor in Canada was fired for saying Black Lives Matter destroyed her university to such an extent she ‘doesn’t recognize it anymore’.
Frances Widdowson, who also taught justice and policy studies, was sacked from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada last year.
The academic is now calling for an open arbitration hearing with the school to have it out with the institution next January – but bosses are yet to agree.
Widdowson was fired in December for saying BLM had destroyed the college to such an extent she ‘doesn’t recognize it anymore’.
Activists rounded on her and called her a racist for claiming Canada’s residential school program offered Indigenous children chances ‘they wouldn’t have received’.
But the lecturer launched her fightback this week as she pledged to take university bosses to an arbitration.
Meanwhile the institution refused to be drawn on any hearing, adding it ‘will not be providing specific details on this personnel matter’.
Frances Widdowson (pictured), who also taught justice and policy studies, has proposed a date for the case against Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada
The academic confirmed she wanted to have it out with the institution next January – but bosses were still to agree to it. Pictured: The university
Activists also rounded on her for claiming Canada’s residential school program offered Indigenous children chances ‘they wouldn’t have received’
Widdowson called for it to be held from January 16 to January 27 next year in which she can air her issues with her treatment, Fox News reports.
She told The College Fix in an interview recently: ‘All of my grievances are going forward together at this time.’
The associate professor, who studied indigenization for 20 years, said she wanted it to be open so journalists could attend and report on the case.
She added: ‘Without upholding academic freedom, we have no ability to explore ideas and pursue the truth.’
Widdowson is being supported by the free speech group the Society for Academic Freedom, which claimed some of her old colleagues also backed her.
Widdowson called for it to be held from January 16 to January 27 next year in which she can air her issues with her treatment, Fox News reports
The academic was unceremoniously dumped from her job at the end of last year over her comments about race.
She had claimed BLM had ‘destroyed MRU’ to such an extent that she ‘doesn’t recognize the institution anymore’.
She told the Western Standard Online at the time: ‘You’re supposed to be teaching. That’s your job.
‘You can go on strike to protest police brutality but what does it have to do with you? A ‘woke’ faculty is now in charge. This isn’t going to be good.’
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She also found herself in hot water over comments about Canada’s controversial residential school program.
She claimed it offered Indigenous children the chance ‘to get an education that normally they wouldn’t have received’.
But she said it at a time of heightened tension after unmarked graves were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.
Her comments saw students and activists round on the professor as they called for her to be sacked.
One petition, which was hoping for 7,500 signatories but only got just over 6,000, branded her a racist.
It said: ‘Frances Widdowson is a racist professor who works at Mount Royal University.
‘This is a call to demand that the university condemns Widdowson’s hateful actions against the BIPOC community and that she is terminated for her racist remarks.’
It added: ‘In ignoring the racist actions of people in power, we directly contribute to the systemic racism within our society.’
One petition, which was hoping for 7,500 signatories but only got just over 6,000, branded her a racist
The university shot back that it ‘unequivocally supports academic debate’ but ‘academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination’
In January Widdowson signaled her intension to fight her dismissal, telling CBC: ‘I was generally criticizing ‘woke’ ideas.
‘Basically, identity politics that has become totalitarian, and is imposing itself on the university, and preventing people from openly discussing ideas.’
But the university shot back that it ‘unequivocally supports academic debate’ but ‘academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination’.
A spokesman told DailyMail.com: ‘Mount Royal University can confirm that Frances Widdowson is no longer a faculty member and we will not be providing specific details on this personnel matter.
‘MRU is committed to fostering expression and free speech, and strives to be a model for allowing opposing viewpoints to co-exist.
‘The university unequivocally supports academic debate and will always defend the rights of faculty related to academic freedom.
‘However, academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination. Mount Royal employees have the right to work in an environment that is respectful and free from harassment.
‘The collective agreement and MRU policies outline a process for resolving issues of workplace conduct, and decisions are always made following rigorous due process.
‘The MRU community is committed to a learning environment free from harassment and discrimination for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and the broader community.’
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