I am writing today in order to comment on the meaning of academic freedom as put forth in the op-ed titled “Choosing a battle” (Nov. 20).  According to the author, Students for Academic Freedom should “avoid getting tied up helping to fight a tenure battle for [Associate professor of sociology Margo] Ramlal-Nankoe and focus on the issue for which the group is named.” The article suggests that joining together to demand a professor be kept on staff after being denied tenure for reasons other than her teaching ability is not focusing on the issue of academic freedom. This could not be further from the truth.

According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, “to explore significant and controversial questions is an essential precondition to fulfill the academy’s mission of educating students and advancing knowledge.” We need professors like Ramlal-Nankoe in schools so that students will no longer have a one-sided view on global and domestic issues.

It is not fair for anyone to decide what one can and cannot learn and denying Ramlal-Nankoe’s tenure infringes on the academic freedom of students. I was happy to hear that a student organization has started in support of Ramlal-Nankoe and hope that more students will get involved. To those who do not agree with the Students for Academic Freedom, start another organization on campus with different, clearly stated goals. By twisting the definition of academic freedom to fit into a neatly folded box, you are playing into the hands of the same people who wish to limit what you can and cannot learn in a classroom.

Michelle Gadot ’06