--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can fire a professor because he's a…" description: "\"You can fire a professor because he's a bad or unqualified teacher, but you shouldn't be able to fire him because he expresses unpopular views. Otherwi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/norah-vincent-3829_bad_you-can-fire-a-professor-because-he-s-a_2954235.png" --- # You can fire a professor because he's a bad or unqualified… ![“You can fire a professor because he's a bad or unqualified teacher, but you shouldn't be able to fire him because he expresses unpopular views. Otherwise, the 1st Amendment would be meaningless. After all, how free can your speech be if your job is in peril if you say the wrong thing?” quote by Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/norah-vincent-3829_bad_you-can-fire-a-professor-because-he-s-a_2954235.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/norah-vincent-3829_bad_you-can-fire-a-professor-because-he-s-a_2954235.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/norah-vincent-3829_bad_you-can-fire-a-professor-because-he-s-a_2954235.png) > “You can fire a professor because he's a bad or unqualified teacher, but you shouldn't be able to fire him because he expresses unpopular views. Otherwise, the 1st Amendment would be meaningless. After all, how free can your speech be if your job is in peril if you say the wrong thing?” [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Academic freedom protects unpopular ideas; firing for views threatens free speech **In simple terms:** Protect speech in academia Key Takeaway Defend intellectual diversity Themes free speech academic freedom rights Mood thoughtful concerned Type philosophical political When to use this quote - universities - public policy - media outlets Key Concepts censorship political pressure Questions to Reflect On - When should speech be limited? - How to protect teachers while ensuring quality? A Different Perspective Balancing free speech with harmful rhetoric is complex ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1St Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1st-amendment-682491/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Expresses Unpopular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expresses-unpopular-4468118/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Professor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professor/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-shouldn-4468117/) [Unpopular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpopular/) ## Related quotes > [Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/criticism-of-government-finds-sanctuary-in-several-portions-of-the/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [The 1st Amendment protects the right to speak, not the right to spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-white/the-1st-amendment-protects-the-right-to-speak-not-the-right-to-spend/) [Byron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-white/) > [Is there any media here? A couple? Excellent. I want to ask you, I don't know what persuasion you are, but would you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/is-there-any-media-here-a-couple-excellent-i-want-to-ask-you-i-don-t/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [If the 1st Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his own house, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/if-the-1st-amendment-means-anything-it-means-that-a-state-has-no/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [“It's funny that we need laws so people can have the freedom to do what they want when we already have the constitution where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-g-ortiz/it-s-funny-that-we-need-laws-so-people-can-have-the-freedom-to-do/) [Kenneth G. Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-g-ortiz/) > [One who comes to the Court must come to adore, not to protest. That's the new gloss on the 1st Amendment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/one-who-comes-to-the-court-must-come-to-adore-not-to-protest-that-s/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [If there is anyone who values free speech, it is a tenured professor!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/if-there-is-anyone-who-values-free-speech-it-is-a-tenured-professor/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [Incidental consequences are often unpleasant; the kinds of reactions you can expect when you say something asinine or unpopular in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/incidental-consequences-are-often-unpleasant-the-kinds-of-reactions/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [I figured it is always better to be unpopular by your own choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-upton/i-figured-it-is-always-better-to-be-unpopular-by-your-own-choice/) [Tom Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-upton/) > [Trump in particular was such an unpopular candidate, because he's so anti communities of color, and we're a minority majority state, are you kidding?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/trump-in-particular-was-such-an-unpopular-candidate-because-he-s-so/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [The more unpopular politicians are, the better people think it is to have a monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bradford/the-more-unpopular-politicians-are-the-better-people-think-it-is-to/) [Sarah Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bradford/) > [I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benigno-aquino-iii/i-am-not-concerned-about-getting-reelected-i-can-make-the-unpopular/) [Benigno Aquino III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benigno-aquino-iii/) > [I think that people who stand up for what they believe in, no matter how unpopular, should be celebrated, not cast aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-lancaster/i-think-that-people-who-stand-up-for-what-they-believe-in-no-matter/) [Craig Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-lancaster/) > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [People who are not prepared to do unpopular things and defy the clamor of the multitude are not fit to be ministers in time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/people-who-are-not-prepared-to-do-unpopular-things-and-defy-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by Norah Vincent > [Smokers, like so many of us, are mavericks when they're healthy but parasites when they're not. They trash their bodies and then expect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/smokers-like-so-many-of-us-are-mavericks-when-they-re-healthy-but/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Isn't it curious how quickly a conservative becomes a libertarian when he's caught sinning? There's a lesson in that somewhere, if only the Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/isn-t-it-curious-how-quickly-a-conservative-becomes-a-libertarian/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [The feminist establishment has made choice a woman's issue. The Christian right has made life a religious issue. Both have made loyalty crucial. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-feminist-establishment-has-made-choice-a-woman-s-issue-the/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Private academic institutions admit the children of alumni because substantial parts of their operating budgets come from the financial contributions of alumni.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/private-academic-institutions-admit-the-children-of-alumni-because/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [My gender has roots in my brain, possibly biochemical ones, living very close to the roots of my self-image... Far, far closer than my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/my-gender-has-roots-in-my-brain-possibly-biochemical-ones-living-very/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Race is not the stumbling block to progress it once was, in large part because the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/race-is-not-the-stumbling-block-to-progress-it-once-was-in-large-part/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [We are a nation of savages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/we-are-a-nation-of-savages/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Practically as soon as the towers hit the ground on Sept. 11, pundits of the left like Noam Chomsky and Susan Sontag took advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/practically-as-soon-as-the-towers-hit-the-ground-on-sept-11-pundits/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Americans love a morality tale, especially one that's been taken from real life. We like facile categories of good and bad, and we like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/americans-love-a-morality-tale-especially-one-that-s-been-taken-from/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [People who dislike Oprah's Book Club dislike it for the same reason that they dislike Barnes & Noble. The fact that the two do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/people-who-dislike-oprah-s-book-club-dislike-it-for-the-same-reason/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [The candidates who get themselves elected are illusionists and prevaricators of the first order. We expect this of them. They're a reflection of us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-candidates-who-get-themselves-elected-are-illusionists-and/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [I learned that gender identity runs very deep in all of us, very near the center of our sense of self and messing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/i-learned-that-gender-identity-runs-very-deep-in-all-of-us-very-near/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [You've got to lie skillfully to get elected, because you've got to convince a whole zoo of self-involved ciphers that you've got every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/you-ve-got-to-lie-skillfully-to-get-elected-because-you-ve-got-to/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Publishers and writers are desperate to cash in on the latest craze, be it baseball, the founding fathers or jihad. Their livelihoods depend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/publishers-and-writers-are-desperate-to-cash-in-on-the-latest-craze/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) [Explore all 121 Norah Vincent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. 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So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can fire a professor because he's a bad or unqualified teacher, but you shouldn't be able to fire him because he expresses unpopular views. Otherwise, the 1st Amendment would be meaningless. 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