After a tweet about a “lesser-black woman” at the Supreme Court, a Georgetown University Law School administrator was put on leave. He has now announced his resignation.
Ilya Shapiro was to assume the role of executive director at the law school’s Center for the Constitution in February. However, she wrote an opinion column in Monday’s Wall Street Journal entitled “Why I Quit Georgetown”.
Shapiro tweeted Jan. 26 his choice for the vacant position — Sri Srinivasan. Sri Srinivasan is a South Asian-Indian descent judge at the U.S. Supreme Court. Circuit Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia. Shapiro also criticised President Joe Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman for the nation’s highest judiciary.
Shapiro tweeted, “But alas, doesn’t fit into our latest intersectionality hierarchy so that we’ll get less black woman,” “Thank you, Lord, for such small favors!”
Shapiro tweeted an apology, “I apologize.” It was an inartful tweet, though I meant no offense. It has been taken down.
Shapiro stated in the Wall Street Journal column that a four month investigation into the tweet had concluded last week. It was determined that Shapiro was cleared because he wasn’t an employee at the time he wrote it.
He was reinstated but stated that “remaining at my job was untenable” as Georgetown administrators had “created hostile work environments for me.”
Shapiro stated that a Georgetown Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action (IDEAA) had written a report into the tweet. Shapiro stated that the report showed that he could make “another, similar, or more serious remark” as a Georgetown employee. This would likely create a hostile environment based upon race, gender and sex.
He criticised Georgetown Law Dean William Treanor, and claimed that his free speech rights were being infringed.
“Fundamentally Mr. Treanor did — what he allowed IDEAA do — was repeal the Speech and Expression Policy he claimed to love. If it makes exceptions for speech that is offensive or contrary to some nebulous conception about equity, the freedom to speak does not constitute freedom.
Shapiro was unable to be reached Tuesday for any additional comments.
Georgetown University spokesperson stated in a statement, “The school urges members of our community engage in robust dialogue.”
The statement stated that while we respect speech and expression, we strive to foster civil and respectful discourse. The University reviewed Mr. Shapiro’s conduct and followed the normal processes for Law Center staff members.
In a late January letter to law school students, Treanor stated that Shapiro had been placed on leave while he was investigated into whether he had violated school policies or expectations regarding professional conduct.
“I have been a part of the outrage and pain felt by so many people at Georgetown Law, especially our Black female students, alumni, staff, faculty, and staff. Treanor wrote that Ilya Shapiro’s tweets were antithetical to the work we do every day to build inclusion and belonging, respect for diversity, and that they are not true to our daily work.
Shapiro stated in a January statement that he regretted his poor choices of words and had to admit that he or she should not be discriminated against because of skin color.
Shapiro stated, “A person’s dignity, worth, and worth do not depend on their race, gender, or other immutable characteristics.” While it is important to have a diverse judiciary, it is also vital that justices are chosen from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. However, blatantly using identity politics when choosing Supreme Court justices is discrediting a vital institution. Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan, to my mind, is the best nominee that a Democratic president could pick.”
In April, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman to be elevated to the Supreme Court when the Democratic-controlled Senate confirmed Biden’s pick.
