Students, faculty seek dismissal of 'sexist' professor
Tel Aviv University causes stir by hiring lecturer previously dismissed by two schools for 'humiliating' women
Professor Martin van Creveld has already been forced to leave two universities after reportedly proclaiming that women are intellectually, physically and culturally inferior to men. TAU agreed to offer him a position despite his dubious employment history, causing a stir among students and fellow lecturers.
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"We were shocked that the university decided to employ Professor van Creveld as an adjunct lecturer despite the fact that he is known for his hurtful behavior towards female students, and despite the fact that Germany's University of Trier has recently terminated his employment due to this behavior," faculty members wrote in a letter to Professor Azar Gat, the head of the school's Security Studies program.
The lecturers also noted in the letter that the Hebrew University "encouraged" van Creveld to retire early after several female students complained that he humiliated them.
"Professor van Creveld abused his standing at the Hebrew University for years to express his sexist opinions," they wrote.
'Letter is false'
"Professor van Creveld never hid his world view, according to which women ruin every place they reach," TAU Student Union Chairman Ori Reshtik added. "Moreover, Professor van Creveld prides himself on theories that include physiological explanations for the intellectual and cultural difference between men and women – rationales reminiscent of dark periods in history."
The historian dismissed the content of the faculty's letter as false.
"I have never claimed, neither in speech nor in writing, that women are intellectually inferior," he said. "I was only quoting studies, of which there are many, that assert that men tend toward the extremes – to be above average or underneath it – while women tend toward the middle.
"Most of what was said in the letter was fabricated or taken out of context," he added. "In any case, I have never said one word during my classes at the university about the issue of women."
TAU noted in response that the course plan for next year have yet to be conclusively determined.
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