Scholars for Academic Justice (SAJ) is a support network for scholars facing threats to their academic and personal freedom. Originally organized to highlight the case of Scott DeMuth (a University of Minnesota graduate student facing conspiracy charges under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act for his community organizing and social research), SAJ has now expanded nationally to assist a number of scholars around the United States.
Academic freedom is the freedom for scholars to teach, research, write, think, and act as political beings within the guidelines of relevant professional standards and ethics, and without intimidation or censorship. Unfortunately, academic repression has become commonplace in the U.S., as scholars are increasingly censored, disciplined, harassed, and sometimes fired for expressing critical, dissenting, or controversial views. Since the events of September 11, 2001 the U.S. has been struggling with the balancing act of ensuring our national security while upholding our hard fought constitutional protections such as the freedom of speech. In recent years, this tension has once again surfaced in discussions over academic freedom and whether scholars have the right to voice opinions that are in deep conflict with those held by much of the public. We must guard steadfastly against the desire to curb our most basic freedoms in these times. This applies most especially to those of us who may wish to exercise dissent, whether it be in the town square, in a public hearing, in a place of worship, on the airwaves, or in our nation’s centers of higher education—colleges and universities. As scholars, we have dedicated our lives to education—through teaching, research, and service—and its critical role in creating and sustaining democratic societies. SAJ was founded on the principle that academic freedom is a cornerstone of a free society and requires and deserves our vigilance and protection.
For more information, please contact SAJ by emailing us at: scholarsforacademicjustice@gmail.com
