A University of Montana professor has been accused of discriminating against one of her students based on their political views.
According to NBC Montana, Taylor Powell, a psychology and political science student, filed a complaint to the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action office against anthropology Professor G.G. Weix for harassing her after she advocated for free market ideals and limited government intervention. Powell is also a member of Turning Point U.S.A, a politically conservative group for high school and college students.
Powell said while she was tabling for Turning Point to recruit new members, Weix sent out students in her methods class to approach her and gather information, the Missoulian reported. However, according to Powell, the students swore and made vulgar remarks toward her.
“If this is how it’s going to be every single week, different professors, the same professor, sending students after me, it would be definitely a difficult task to endure,” Powell told The Missoulian.
“I’m just trying to promote and expose a different viewpoint. And so it does make it incredibly difficult for students who are more shy and don’t want to face the attacks from a professor and other students,” she added.
Professor Weix has denied the allegations and said she is committed to freedom of speech and expression, both on the University of Montana campus and elsewhere.
“I have no basis to dispute that someone with differing views may have accosted Ms. Powell in inappropriate ways based on their disagreements with her strongly stated and controversial political beliefs,” Weix said in a statement.
“I reserve my right to disagree with others speaking in the public square, and to voice my disagreement in a civil and respectful way, but I would never interfere with the same rights exercised by others no matter how vehemently I might disagree with their points of view.”
The university’s investigation into Powell’s claim remains ongoing.
Majority of Arts and Humanities Students Receive Professor Support [Survey]