The Columbia noose professor is terminated, story still not over
The latest twist in the still-unresolved Columbia noose case finds the university dealing with a litigious headache. Live by grievance politics, die by grievance politics.
Professor Madonna Constantine, whom administrators initially rallied behind after she claimed she had been racially targeted, has now belatedly been fired after the school found her guilty of plagiarism. You’ll recall that the sanctions against her had been kept secret in February. Someone spilled the beans to the NYTimes yesterday:
The Columbia University professor who gained widespread attention last fall after a noose was found hanging on her office door was fired on Monday after months of wrangling over charges that she plagiarized the work of two former students and a former colleague.
Madonna G. Constantine, a professor of psychology and education with a focus on racial issues at Columbia’s Teachers College, was sanctioned in February, after an 18-month investigation into the plagiarism charge, but allowed to stay in her job and to appeal the ruling that she had violated the university’s academic standards. But over the last five months, tensions between Dr. Constantine and the administration grew more strained as she vigorously defended herself, filing not just the appeal but also a grievance against Susan Fuhrman, the college president.
Paul Giacomo, Dr. Constantine’s lawyer, said that the college’s move to dismiss his client was “purely retaliatory.”
Dr. Constantine has until July 15 to decide whether to challenge her ouster before one of two faculty committees, Mr. Giacomo said, adding that she also might sue the college for wrongful termination in either state or federal court.
A Teachers College spokesman confirmed that Dr. Constantine had been dismissed pending a hearing by a faculty committee, but otherwise refused to comment on what led to the action.
A letter announcing the decision, sent Monday to the faculty of the college, indicated why the punishment had escalated. “During the months since the college levied sanctions against her, Professor Constantine continued to make accusations of plagiarism, including in at least one instance to the press, against those whose works she had plagiarized,” the letter stated.
Indeed, Dr. Constantine’s lawyer continued to point out during an interview on Monday that the three people who accused her of plagiarism were themselves promised indemnity.
The original sanction against Dr. Constantine was never made public, but the letter was clear that the college now wanted her gone.
“We are terminating Madonna Constantine’s employment with Teachers College for cause, subject to a hearing before a faculty committee,” it said. “In the interim Professor Constantine is suspended, effective immediately.”
But what about the noose incident that just happened to take place in the midst of the plagiarism probe? When will the campus cough up the truth about that? In March, I noted that Constantine’s files were being subpoenaed
by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force and prosecutors.
No word on what they found. Yet.
This story’s far from over.
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You can tell there were no racist incidents she can point to because she points to the vague “institutional racism.” She doesn’t have to prove anything that way. All she has to say is that she felt uncomfortable. Liberals have destroyed a great country. All of this crap is just sad.
And, once again, we discover that the rules apply only to me, and not to thee. When discovered cheating, lying, stealing, or otherwise breaking the law, scream, holler, and sue everybody in sight. After all, how DARE they accuse ME of doing something wrong! I am ABOVE the law!
These stories constantly leave a bad taste in my mouth that even straight Listerine won’t take away.
Ah, yes. The entitlement-minded loony gets theres. When entitlement is not fulfilled, the weak create other situations where they’re the center of their fantasy world. In time, the universe makes these situations “right” as in “right” answer.
cpodug,
It’s annoying and it gives the whole race a black eye when they do it (decry racism) and others come running to defend them. Should you automatically defend a white man for breaking the law because he’s white? The idea that one’s race determines guilt or innocence would be laughable if people didn’t take it so seriously.
Don’t fret and whimper, guys, Obama is gonna heal the hurt, right?
30, you well know I won’t defend anybody who willfully breaks the law. You and I have more integrity than that, and we’re willing to accept the responsibility for our actions. If I won’t do the time, I won’t do the crime.
Affirmative action at its finest.
30 Pieces Of Silver, Cpodug,
I’m being discriminated against here just because I’m a young, hetrosexual, Caucasian, Christain man.
Can either of you recomend a good lawyer?
The crowd chanted, “No more nooses!” and, “Enough is enough!” and staged a march down Broadway from Teachers College on W. 120th St. to the main Columbia campus at W.116th St.
New York Daily News
There is no attorney in the world that would take your case? Sorry!
I couldn’t be more pleased. These polically correct liberal professors, students, and university enablers deserve each other. I hope they all find happiness in their great quest for social justice.
It’s not really comforting to know but at least the NYT will spill the beans on liberal/leftist issues sometimes. Probably more of a broken clock being right twice a day thing though…
tre, you are a master at the use of the oxymoron. A good lawyer? As in honest?
One of the things I like about blogging is that unless someone wants to tell us, we don’t know race, gender, age or other particulars about each other. We are all equal under Michelle’s rules.
We are not prejudged on anything, only our words and opinions matter.
Once again we see proof that the “O” in Dem-O-Crap stands for “Obfuscate” when it comes to being truthful about anything … easiest way to do that is to cast blame on some non-descript entity … such as, in this case, “institutional racism” … (but it could be any other equally non-identifiable generic person or group) … as always the nefarious nature of the perpetrator’s offense makes the subject Dem-O-Crap the “victim” … anyone see the pattern here? …
Look on the bright side, this affairs been a joke,
Now she’s free to move to berkeley and live in an oak.
#12 Cpodug,
I want a lawyer who can help me get rich in the good-old, all-American way.
SUE SOMEONE!
C’mon, AJ – we’ve got enough home-grown moonbats out here without importing them from NYC
#16 tre – be forewarned:
A reporter outside of a courtroom asked a defendant clad only in a barrel: “Oh, I see your attorney lost the case!” The defendant answered, “No, we won.”
cpodug,
Can you say dumpster muffin.
The lawsuits do not amaze me so much in today’s litigious society. What really does surprise me is that the University would actually hold a professor accountable for plagiarism. It surprises me even more that the NYT would report it.
The bad news (and no further surprise) will come when she wins her lawsuit and can then take up her position as a traveling speaker making millions of dollars decrying about how she has been oppressed and “the man” is keeping people of ethnicity down.
With all due respect to our integrated (and much appreciated) brethren of ethnically diverse backgrounds here … if ALL life really did emerge in Africa, wouldn’t we all technically be Americans of African descent?
I wonder if Madonna is a member of a Rev. Wright….type … of church?!!!!
Plagiarism equals THEFT like…stealing….DR.DR.DR>>>>>>>Naughty ….Naughty…
And you have control over our young people and their grades and information “taught”…SHAME!!!!!
a quick musing..
Is the investigation into her and subsequent firing and the noose on her door are related at all?
Did she get wind of the investigation and hang a noose on her door herself to distract from the investigation to make herself a victim?
#9 Tropicalwave12
You’re right, I’m just hopelessly in the majority. And there’s darn few of us left.
Does that make me a minority?
I’m sure the courts will better understand intellectual property sharing of the Subculture so championed by Dr. Constantine. After all is it not the courts that established DNA as an intellectual qualifier that enable those of the Subculture to attend the most ‘prestigious schools’ when otherwise then could not even qualify for Banjo U.
I agree; far from over. But I’m sure we will never hear nor read the complete story on the ‘noose’ incident, nor will we ever learn of what was on the security tapes. I’m sure they used those tapes to record Ahmadinejad’s visit. Ooops! Sorry! I taped over it! But here is a tape of Satan.
i am so tired of hearing them cry wolf. institutional racism? why is she just now going to sue over it? seems to me this institutional racism existed from the moment she gained her job at the university. and she just now chose to complain about it, just when they determined she had plagarized someone elses work?
seems to me if there had been institutional racism, she would have sued long before now. she is a professor so she has to have been at the college at least 10 years, she has tenure and the only way to dismiss a tenured professor is for plagarism, so seems to me she shouldn’t have a case of racism.
i hope the a sensible judge throws this lawsuit out. there are still sensible judges in NYT, right? or is sensible judge another one of those oxymorons?
She hung the noose herself in an attempt to divert attention from the plagiarism investigation that she knew would be her undoing, and has proven itself to be just that.
At least the institution still has something in the bottom of the tube that might pass for integrity. But, it took public exposure to squeez it out.
With such an employer what can one expect from its employees?
These people burrow in like ticks. And the woman has the gall to accuse her victims of plagiarism? Typical. I’d be curious if she could even pass a test for basic literacy. No wonder our colleges keep raising tuition – if they have to pay for morons like this.
#23
I tend to suspect that the two actions are related. It doesn’t take a CSI specialist to know the Modus Operandi of any left wing follower. Always divert!
Plagiarism, phony race charges? Who does she think she is, Ward Churchill? At least Professor Madonna Constantine always knew she was black, I guess. Poor old “Dr. Churchill” could never remember just which of those native American tribes he was a member of.
I guess when you either/and too lazy, stupid to do the work plagiarism will do. And if the powers at Columbia University did not catch it until now they should be fired. And to plagiarize Victor David Hanson: So, again, does this Ward Churchill and Madonna Constantine even exist? Of course not: Their faces are made up of whole cloth.
Just a taste of what it will be like under O’ears presidency. The grievance industry will thrive, jive and come more alive!
Phony racism charges? Wait a minute.
Did some evidence come up that I didn’t hear about regarding the noose? Plagiarism, yeah there’s apparently enough evidence of it to fire her. . .but I’m withholding judgement on the idea that she planted the noose herself until there’s some hard evidence to that effect. I’ll be highly amused if some turns up though.
What a crock! “Institutional racism” is the racism grievance mongers wish existed, but doesn’t.
that’s kinda what I thought in my armchair with the sherlock detective hat on..
And filing a grievance against the college president was not retaliatory?
She will probably win her appeal on the basis that the college needs more diversity. plagiarists are people, too! The viewpoints of law breakers are equally important. All viewpoints should be considered important – except those of evil Conservatives that is.
Looks like all of the taxpayers are going to pick up a second or third mortgage on a property they are buying sight unseen courtesy of our congress critters. For those of you that have never had a mortgage, Congratulations and you didn’t even have to go through all of the paperwork or even be pre qualified.
Came we vote all of them out of office now?
My #38 is on the wrong thread. I blame Microsoft.
Hell! Least you got youth going for you! I’m so screwed!
There is at least as much evidence the charges of racial harrassment/hate are false as there are true. The only reason to believe they are true is her word and she has been caught in one lie already.
Her credibility is weak to say the least. But it is an elction year. The NYPD may come up with the answer but the District Attorney won’t want to stir the water right about now.
Well, at least they don’t limit themselves to disclosing only US Military and CIA secrets. Equal-opportunity rats over there at the NYT.
Will the NYPD PLEASE explain why the following quote was attributed to them by the AP on 10/12/07, on NorthJersey.com? (The link doesn’t exist anymore, but it was repetitively quoted by readers in the 10/12/07 MM thread on this subject.)
Why, according to AP, did the NYPD claim that Professor Madonna Constantine was a “victim” just days after the incident, and just shortly after receiving the security tape from University officials?
What was the evidence that quickly led the NYPD to deduce that, “our victim is a victim?”
Or was their immediate statement intended for another reason?
Not for long.
Why I am I not surprised at her threats to sue anyone and everyone. At some point someone is going to pay her off simply to make her go away. And having done that she will claim vindication and be a hero to the whining left.
Is anyone here African American? I’m not, but I’d love the opinion of someone who is.
Doesn’t this kind of stuff make you sick?
There’s no denying that there is still rascism out there. There always will be. Michelle certainly faces it now and again. And there are plenty of other “ism’s” out there, too.
Real discrimination is evil, and should be dealt with. But this kind of stuff is pathetic. This is the race baiting that we see in Obama and his friends, and it makes sane people sick.
Many of us have rejected muslims, in general, for the simple fact that so few of them have stepped up and condemned the terrorists they claim “don’t speak for them.”
It’s getting that way with African Americans. If not for Michael Steele, Bill Cosby, and the few other blacks, there would be no hope.
This is deplorable.
And it’s coming to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in less than a year…
– ArizonaNeanderthal
I haven’t heard of any direct evidence; only circumstancial (time frame, etc.), indicating that this is a false discrimination claim. However, I wouldn’t be the least surprised if some came up. I just prefer to hold the ‘innocent until proven guilty’ position as paramount. Until that point, we’re trafficking in rumors.
I agree with you however, that her credibility is quite weak, and that chances are she is indeed a race-hustler.
Translation: It’s all about politics – if they like her, she’ll be back at work before the water gets hot; if they don’t like her but fear a lawsuit if her termination is made effective, she’ll still be back at work.
Why don’t they just codify this. “No minority shall be terminated from employment for any reason.” (other than voting Republican).
Where are all the leaks from the NYT?
Cpodug, I wish I had youth on my side too!
Perhaps the Professor was trying to create her one “Wag the Dog” situation…
s/one/own/
How about calling it, ” FRAUD.” Or, “Putting the BLACK in blackmail.” Or perhaps most accurately, “DEMOCRAT.”
More black Americans murder each other every year than were lynched between 1865-1926, so the the use of a hangman’s noose as a symbol of tyranny directed at black Americans is a fraud. A better symbol would be the donkey, symbolizing a political party which has ensured that black Americans remained slaves until over 600,000 white Americans died finally ending slavery. No reparations have been offered to today’s surviving family members of these brave Union soldiers, nor do black Americans give thanks to these men each year. The donkey then used the KKK (see Senator James Byrd, (D)) to create Jim Crow and steal the effective citizenship of black Americans until the 1960s. Since then, the donkey has made sure that the culture of black Americans is mired in lies, fraud, rejection of education, disintegration of their families, and worst of all, enshrined the status of, “VICTEM” as the highest social status a black American can achieve. Most white American politicians are “weak and worthless,” and many are crooks and creeps, but almost every high level black American politician is either a crack pot, a crack head, a crook, or a creep – just look at those black Americans who “serve” as mayors, Governors, and members of Congress. Senator BO is a virtual copy of Bill Clinton, right down to the bevy of felons surrounding him. It is an embarrassment to all Americans and even worse for third world people who see that so many “people of color” who achieve political office in the US are scumbags and therefore what chance do they have in their countries?
The solutions for all Americans is obvious. Stop demanding crooked handouts from politicians and impoverish anyone who does, insisted on high character and strict honor and honesty from every member of government and ruin those who betray their oaths of office, reduce the salaries of those who serve so that they are actually serving and not just cashing in, make having served in government a badge of honor, recognize for achievement those who decrease the size and cost of government and weed out scumbags. Punish liars.
This would be a start.