Berkeley law dean caught telling class he’d lie in deposition now says he was joking

Video of prominent Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky telling his class during a lecture he’d lie in a deposition now says he was totally joking, and his class knows it.

In late June, a short video of Chemerinsky was posted on social media in which he said to students: “I’ll give you an example from our law school, but if ever I’m deposed, I’m going to deny I said this to you. When we do faculty hiring, we’re quite conscious that diversity is important to us, and we say diversity is important, it’s fine to say that.”

The video was posted by popular conservative scholar and activist Christopher Rufo under the wording: “Berkeley Law School dean Erwin Chemerinsky explains how he has secretly enacted a policy of racial discrimination in faculty hiring—which is illegal in California.”

The video quickly went viral and has been viewed more than 3 million times, prompting nationwide headlines and much criticism.

Chemerinsky, in a July 11 email to The College Fix, said he was not serious.

“My comment about being deposed was a light-hearted comment to my students about my expectation that it was a private conversation in the classroom. I, of course, would always tell the truth in a deposition and I am sure my students knew that,” he said.

Chemerinsky said the video excerpt is from a recording taken of a constitutional law class in the spring semester.

Part of the controversy surrounding the video centered on what Chemerinsky said regarding diversity hiring, as Proposition 209 eliminated affirmative action in California in 1996, and voters reiterated that position in 2020 when they rejected an attempt to repeal the law

In the video, the dean tells his students he is “very careful when we have a faculty appointments committee meeting.”

“Anytime somebody says, ‘We should really prefer this candidate or this candidate because this person would add diversity.’ Don’t say that. You can think it, you can vote it, but our discussions are not privileged, so don’t ever articulate that that’s what you’re doing.”

Chemerinsky addressed those comments as well in his email to The Fix.

“It was a recording of a part of a class discussion,” he said via email. “As per existing California law, the Berkeley Law School cannot and does not consider race in any of its hiring and admissions decisions. Those who were actually in the classroom and heard the entirety of my remarks—not one, isolated portion—fully understood that.”

He added that “Berkeley Law does not consider race in any of its hiring or admissions decisions.”

https://www.thecollegefix.com/berkeley-law-dean-caught-telling-class-hed-lie-in-deposition-now-says-he-was-joking/

California Approves Math Curriculum Promoting "Social Justice" Over Standard Skills

The framework, outlined in a 1,000-page guidance document, underwent four years of revision and three drafts based on public feedback.

The critics claim that the framework incorporates concepts of social justice, political activism, and environmental justice into the math curriculum. They argue that the emphasis on these topics detracts from the mastery of math skills.

On the other hand, proponents, such as Mary Nicely, the state’s chief deputy superintendent of public instruction, believe that the framework provides equitable access to math instruction.

“The framework has struck a great balance in new ways to engage students in developing a love for math while supporting those on an accelerated path,” Ms. Nicely said in a statement.

“Our State Superintendent is a champion of equity and excellence, and it is our core mission that every child—regardless of race, ZIP code, or background—has access to a quality education.”

The guidance outlines key strategies such as structuring math instruction around integrated “big ideas,” emphasizing problem-solving and critical thinking, connecting math to real-world applications, incorporating culturally relevant content, fostering inquiry-based learning, and promoting fluency in math concepts and algorithms.

Opponents of the framework, represented by SaveMath.net, founded by private math tutor and former teacher Michael Malione, raise concerns about the lack of vetting for the concept of “big ideas” and the limited involvement of individuals with advanced math degrees in its development.

Mr. Malione argues on his website that the framework’s focus on “social justice” will harm students and that it devotes too little attention to math content standards.

“Typically, a curriculum framework would orient around the content standards regarding when and how they should be taught—to provide guidance to educators, parents, and textbook publishers. The SFR draft framework does not,” he states on his website.

Mr. Malione points out that the framework promotes the use of math to explore concepts of fairness in relation to various social issues and encourages student political activism. It also emphasizes racial justice, equity, gender inclusivity, and trauma-informed pedagogy in math education.

“One would think the proposed math framework would focus on describing how to convey the required math subject content in detail, but unfortunately, it does not,” his website states.

The state’s framework from 2013, by contrast, devotes 66 percent “of its total text (approximately 7,200/10,900 lines of text) to implementing math content standards.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/california-approves-math-curriculum-promoting-social-justice-over-standard-skills