A white student claimed he was expelled because he complained on Facebook about racism.

Last summer, Syracuse University grad student Matthew Werenczak was student teaching at a middle school when a black member of the city’s Concerned Citizens Action Program said city schools should hire more teachers from historically black colleges.

Werenczak, who is white, expressed his feelings about the comment on his personal Facebook page. Among other things, he said, “Just making sure we’re okay with racism. It’s not enough I’m busting my ass tutoring in the worst school in the city, I suppose I oughta be black or stay in my own side of town.”

Werenczak says that when school administrators found out about the posts, they forced him from the program.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) then went to bat on Werenczak’s behalf. In a letter to Syracuse’s chancellor, it accused the school of violating a student handbook provision that says students have a right to express themselves as long as they don’t violate the school’s code of student conduct.

The letter also said the school broke a promise to provide fundamental fairness before imposing formal disciplinary sanctions.

FIRE urged the school to take corrective action.

Apparently, Syracuse listened. FIRE said that within hours after it took action to publicize the case, school officials readmitted Werenczak.

Have a comment? Please add it below.

Tags: facebook, freedom of speech, Syracuse University