A Call Against Kavanaugh

Although the recent news that Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh will not teach at Harvard Law School next semester is an encouraging development, Harvard’s response to the allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against him has been wholly inadequate.

Instead of announcing that Kavanaugh’s position would be terminated or, at the very least, that his status would be contingent upon the outcome of an exhaustive investigation, University President Lawrence S. Bacow indicated that Kavanaugh made a personal decision not to teach next semester. We draw two conclusions from Bacow’s remarks: The mobilizations of Harvard students against Kavanaugh have been effective, and Harvard’s administration has stopped short of investigating and firing Kavanaugh.

Harvard has an obligation to clearly articulate its position on Kavanaugh. We should not be left to wonder whether someone accused of sexual assault will be invited to teach on campus in the future, nor whether the allegations he faces had any bearing on the termination of his lectureship. This ambiguity is, at best, a missed opportunity for the University to show its commitment to supporting victims of sexual assault. At worst, it constitutes yet another example of Harvard failing to take abuse and misogyny seriously.

Time and time again, Harvard has shown its inability to hold abusers accountable. We saw this in the decades-long defense of Government Professor Jorge I. Dominguez, who is accused of repeatedly groping students and faculty members, and more recently in the firing of Mayli Shing, who was terminated for “insubordinate conduct” after she made allegations of workplace racism and sexism. These events are not isolated, but rather indicative of an institution that has failed to meet the standards demanded by its student body.

Kavanaugh currently faces credible accusations of sexual assault and misconduct from three women. These accusations, anchored by the moving testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, have given the University sufficient grounds to terminate his position. A rushed FBI investigation may satisfy the rancorous and partisan Senate, but Harvard must be held to a higher standard.

Any claims that Kavanaugh should receive the benefit of the doubt ought to be laid to rest after last Thursday’s hearing. He repeatedly lied under oath and distorted statements from key witnesses. It remains to be seen whether having done so will secure his appointment to the Supreme Court, but brazen distortions in a hearing about accusations of attempted rape should disqualify him from teaching at an institution that claims the motto “Veritas.”

As The Crimson Editorial Board rightly argued, Harvard should be the voice of survivors, not perpetrators. If the news of Kavanaugh’s absence on campus offers solace to victims of abuse, that sigh of relief is cut short by the prospect of his eventual return. Is the basis for Kavanaugh not returning a schedule conflict on one of his many infamous calendars? Or is it due to his alleged abuse? This distinction matters to those who have been awakened by the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. The looming possibility of inviting an accused abuser back to campus is an affront to victims of sexual violence everywhere.

Anger at Kavanaugh is brewing across the country. Crucially, many have translated this anger into powerful direct action. At his snarling testimony last Thursday, Kavanaugh bemoaned the prospect of never teaching again. Thanks to student-led walkouts, public statements, petitions, and last week’s speakout, he surely recognized his return to campus would not have been a welcome one, and he showed himself the door.

A Kavanaugh-free campus is a victory for survivors and those who stand with them, but the conditions of his retreat have implications for the struggle against sexual assault moving forward. Perpetrators should not be granted discretion over the terms of their departure. We should settle for nothing less than Harvard dismissing Kavanaugh indefinitely.

As members of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences International Socialists, we will speak out against Kavanaugh, as others have in Washington D.C., New York City, New Haven, and Boston. We encourage all concerned members of the Harvard community to join demonstrations on campus and to organize in opposition to Judge Kavanaugh. We believe protests in the streets can prevent Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Time’s up, Harvard!