Forsyth Technical Community College: Dismissal of Professor for Criticizing Iraq War

Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC) writing instructor Elizabeth Ito has been dismissed for using a brief part of her class to discuss the war in Iraq. Ito criticized the Iraq war in a writing class on March 28, 2003, while the ground invasion was still underway. Her remarks, which later served as the basis for a writing assignment, lasted only ten minutes, but as a result administrators at the college decided not to renew her contract. FTCC President Gary Green subsequently ignored a request from the FIRE, sent on Ito's behalf, for an explanation of the college's actions.

Case Materials

• "Writing Instructor Loses Job for Discussing Iraq War in Class," January 27, 2004: In Winston-Salem, NC, Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC) writing instructor Elizabeth Ito has been dismissed for criticizing the war in Iraq during a writing class. Her remarks lasted only ten minutes—and served as the basis for a subsequent writing assignment—but prompted administrators at the college not to renew her contract. FIRE is defending Ito's academic, moral, and legal rights.
• "FIRE Letter to Forsyth Technical Community College President Gary M. Green, November 12, 2003," November 12, 2003

Blog Entries

• "This Month in FIRE History: Dismissal of Professor for Criticizing Iraq War," by Claire Jenkins, January 29, 2010

Media Coverage

• "Under the Radar: Political Correctness Never Died,"
  by Cathy Young, Reason, July 1, 2004