After a week of tension and scrutiny surrounding a UNC faculty member and his placement on administrative leave to review potential advocacy of political violence, the university is reinstating him.
UNC Media Relations shared a statement Friday morning saying Associate Professor Dwayne Dixon will resume his faculty responsibilities, effective immediately, following a “thorough threat assessment.” The alert said UNC consulted with several internal and external sources to conduct its review of “all the evidence,” and said it found “no basis to conclude that he poses a threat to University students, staff, and faculty, or has engaged in conduct that violates University policy.”
“The University continues to reaffirm its commitment to rigorous debate, respectful engagement, and open dialogue in support of free speech, while fulfilling our responsibility to protect the physical safety of the Carolina community,” read the message, credited to Vice Chancellor of Communications and Marketing Dean Stoyer.
Dixon’s administrative leave began on Monday after a report by Fox News published on Sep. 27 highlighted the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies professor’s ties to the anti-racist and community defense group Redneck Revolt, an offshoot of the far-left John Brown Gun Club. The report attempted to tie Dixon, who had reportedly spoken on behalf of the now defunct organization, to flyers posted on Georgetown University’s campus by the John Brown Gun Club seemingly making light of Charlie Kirk’s assassination on Sep. 10. At the time, UNC said it would investigate the allegations of politically motivated violence and placing Dixon on leave “protects the integrity of its assessment.” It also condemned the “tolerance of inciting or extending sympathy toward violence of any kind within the UNC community.”
The Durham resident has faced charges in the past for carrying a weapon at public rallies, including a 2017 anti-KKK gathering in Durham, with the charges ultimately dismissed. Dixon also was charged with assault the night of the Confederate statue “Silent Sam” being pulled down by protesters on UNC campus in 2018, with that charge also dismissed.
On Wednesday, a group of UNC community members and supporters of Dixon rallied outside of the university’s administrative building asking for his reinstatement and criticizing UNC for its handling of the matter — with organizers saying the institution was “capitulating” to conservative activists.
The full statement from UNC on Dixon’s reinstatement reads:
“The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has performed a thorough threat assessment of Teaching Associate Professor Dwayne Dixon based on recent reports and expressions of concern that he is an advocate for political violence. The Carolina Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Team consulted with the UNC System security office and with local law enforcement, undertaking a robust, swift and efficient review of all the evidence. We have found no basis to conclude that he poses a threat to University students, staff, and faculty, or has engaged in conduct that violates University policy.
As a result, the University is reinstating Professor Dixon to his faculty responsibilities, effective immediately.
The University continues to reaffirm its commitment to rigorous debate, respectful engagement, and open dialogue in support of free speech, while fulfilling our responsibility to protect the physical safety of the Carolina community.”
Featured image by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.
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UNC Completes Investigation, Reinstates Professor After ‘No Basis’ to Advocacy of Political Violence Chapelboro.com.
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