Education

Evergreen State College Settles ‘Day Of Absence’ Lawsuit With Professor Bret Weinstein

Bret Weinstein YouTube screenshot/Fox News

Ian Miles Cheong Contributor
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Evergreen State College has settled a tort claim with professor Bret Weinstein and his wife Heather Heying for $500,000 in connection to the 2017 “Day of Absence” protests, which saw anarchy spread throughout the campus earlier this year.

In his $3.8 million lawsuit, Weinstein claimed that the institution was unable to provide him and his wife adequate security by failing to enforce its student Code of Conduct. The lawsuit claimed that the university’s failure to keep things under control “sent the unmistakable message that the school will tolerate (and even endorse) egregious violations (and even crimes) purportedly to advance racial social goals, diminishing the collegiate experience for all, and fostering a racially hostile work and retaliatory environment for faculty and staff.”

“Through a series of decisions made at the highest levels, including to officially support a day of racial segregation, the college has refused to protect its employees from repeated provocative and corrosive verbal and written hostility based on race, as well as threats of physical violence,” their claim stated.

Weinstein alleges that he was frequently called a “racist” by his peers for his refusal to support the so-called “Day of Absence,” which demanded white students and faculty recuse themselves from campus for a day so non-whites could have a powwow about oppression.

“In making this agreement, the college admits no liability, and rejects the allegations made in the tort claim,” John Carmichael, chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, wrote in the email obtained by College Fix.

Carmichael denies that the “Day of Absence” was discriminatory, stating that the college “took reasonable and appropriate steps to engage with protesters during spring quarter, de-escalate conflict, and keep the campus safe.”

However, video footage that went viral earlier this year tells a completely different story.

Carmichael stated that the reason the college chose to settle was to avoid a long court battle. “This agreement is in the best interests of Evergreen,” Carmichael stated in his memo. “Years of expensive and time-consuming litigation would not help us achieve our mission.”

As part of the $500,000 settlement, both Weinstein and his wife have resigned from their positions. An email from Carmichael to the faculty states that the college will pay out a total of $450,000 and contribute an additional $50,000 toward their attorney fees.

Ian Miles Cheong is a journalist and outspoken media critic. You can reach him through social media at @stillgray on Twitter and on Facebook.