Law Schools

Law School Professor Who Dropped The N-Word In Class Is Back At It

Again? Really? Check out the update to the story. The Professor has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

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Some people, well, they never learn.

After coming under fire earlier this year for using the n-word in the very first week of classes, Emory University School of Law Professor Paul Zwier has been accused of using the n-word — again — with law students. According to tipsters, it’s alleged Zwier used the n-word in office hours while talking with an African-American student.

Details about what happened are still vague at this point, but the complaint about the professor has been made to the administration, and the has emailed the students letting them know they are aware of the situation. When asked for comment, Interim Emory Law Dean James B. Hughes Jr. affirmed the school’s commitment to diversity and said the latest allegations against Professor Zwier are being looked into:

Emory University’s commitment to the core values of diversity, inclusion and respect is longstanding and non-negotiable. We have been guided by these values in responding to a racial incident that occurred earlier this semester. Following that incident, we agreed to numerous steps to help our community heal and grow.

I have received reports that Professor Paul Zwier used for a second time the same racial slur and have begun the process of gathering the facts regarding these allegations. It is my pledge to update the Emory Law community and to take whatever actions we need to uphold the values that guide our university. I met with law school student leaders yesterday evening to listen to their concerns, to share the information I have obtained to date, and to outline the process that will be followed to address this situation.

Zwier’s punishment for using the racial slur in the first instance had been to be barred from teaching 1Ls, revising the teacher’s manual to address dealing with racially sensitive issues, participation in student dialogues, and attending sensitivity training. If the school finds Professor Zwier has again used such offensive and insensitive language in conversations with law students, it will be illuminating to see how the school decides to deal with it.

UPDATE 11/12/18 5:09p.m.: Emory has reached out with an updated statement which reveals Professor Zwier has been put on administrative leave.

“Professor Paul Zwier has been placed on administrative leave following reports that he recently repeated the same racial slur that he used in a classroom lecture earlier this semester.
Emory University’s commitment to the core values of diversity, inclusion and respect is longstanding and non-negotiable.  We have been guided by these values in responding to both of these incidents.  As we continue to gather the facts regarding these allegations, it is my pledge to continue to uphold the values that guide our university, and to update the Emory Law community as we work together to heal and grow.”

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Read the email Dean Hughes sent to the student body about the incident below (click to enlarge).

headshotKathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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