Mount Royal University has responded to a petition calling for the firing of a “racist” professor, saying it backs the right of free speech within the institution..But they also say employees of the southwest Calgary institution have the responsibility to cultivate a “equitable, diverse and inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence.”.The petition was launched Tuesday after the Western Standard published a story about Prof. Frances Widdowson and her battle against what she calls the “woke” culture on campus..So far, more than 1,600 people have signed the petition started by Kenna Fraser..“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,” states the petition..“I’m not comfortable having a professor who believes residential schools should be considered an “opportunity for Indigenous children to get an education that normally they wouldn’t have received,” said petition signer Sara Buzreba..“She is completely disrespectful to Indigenous history, BIPOC, and all minorities fighting for systemic change. Her words are disgraceful to this university and MRU’s reputation.”.Tim Rahilly, President and Vice-Chancellor of MRU, issued a statement Thursday afternoon..“When views are expressed by a member of the MRU community, it does not mean the institution shares these views. Within the bounds of Canadian law, people have the basic right to freely express their ideas,” said Rahilly’s statement..“Equally valid are obligations that all employees have to cultivate an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence. .“Giving credence to both is challenging, but not impossible. We are reviewing the concerns in light of our strong commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression and our established expectations of the behaviour of all members of the MRU community.”.The controversy comes just as MRU professors on Tuesday and Wednesday joined their colleagues across the country in a “Scholar Strike” – walking out of classes in support of the Black Lives Matter movement..Prof. Frances Widdowson said in an interview with the Western Standard the BLM movement has “destroyed MRU” and she “doesn’t recognize the institution anymore.”.“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.”.Up next for Widdowson is research into Canada’s residential school history..“What people don’t realize is that these Indigenous children were able to get an education that normally they wouldn’t have received,” she said adding the term “genocide” to describe residential schools is incorrect.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .One campus student group blasted professors for walking about calling them “bandwagoneers.”.“This is nothing but empty virtue signalling,” said Wyatt Claypool, president of the Mount Royal University Campus Conservatives Club..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
