This article has been updated since publication to correct Timothy Jackson’s name.
A public university in Texas just learned an expensive lesson.
According to media reports, the University of North Texas will pay $725,000 to Professor Timothy Jackson. Jackson sued the university in 2021, claiming to have suffered professional and emotional damage following accusations of racism leveled at him in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
The dispute arose following a discussion in an obscure academic journal edited by Jackson.
Jackson had invited several scholars to participate in a discussion titled “Symposium on Philip Ewell’s SMT Plenary Paper ‘Music Theory’s White Racial Frame.’” Ewell had claimed the work of Austrian music theorist Heinrich Schenker was systemically racist in a 2019 speech.
As part of that discussion, Jackson wrote an essay titled “A Preliminary Response to Ewell” that defended aspects of Schenker’s work.
A backlash quickly followed.
Multiple professional organizations condemned Jackson’s work. A group of UNT music students demanded Jackson’s firing, alleging he was “particularly racist and unacceptable.”
This was followed by a letter from most of the UNT music faculty stating that they “stand in solidarity with our graduate students in their letter of condemnation of the Journal of Schenkerian Studies.”
While UNT did not fire Jackson, it removed him from his position as editor of the journal. In making this determination, UNT went outside its normal procedures.
Jackson countered by suing the university in 2021. His lawsuit alleged defamation and violation of his First Amendment rights.
Four and a half years later, the case has been settled.
Jackson’s attorneys explained the terms of the settlement:
In addition to the monetary payment of $725,000, the settlement includes agreements to allow Professor Jackson to resume his role as the editor of the Journal of Schenkerian Studies, appoint a co-editor, and research assistant support as well as a one-course release from teaching obligations in order to carry out his work as editor, among other things.
Jackson told NPR, “[W]e need to restore the good name of the journal, and I can’t turn tail and run away.”
Eric Rasmusen, a former professor and higher education reform advocate who has followed this case, told Texas Scorecard:
It is deeply satisfying that Professor Jackson has been vindicated. I wish, though, that some of the $725,000 had been paid by the defendants who called him a racist—Rachel Gain and Peter Mondelli—instead of UNT offering to pay everything, which means the taxpayer pays for these wokesters’ illegal acts.
UNT did not respond to Texas Scorecard’s request for comment before publication.
If you have stories of university staff being subjected to DEI management decisions, reach out to scorecardtips@protonmail.com.
