The clamor over Claudine Gay’s Harvard resignation: Letters

The Issue: Claudine Gay’s decision to step down from Harvard leadership, and the resulting aftermath.

With the reluctant resignation of embattled Harvard President Clau­d­ine Gay, a sordid chapter at this once-august university’s history has drawn to a close (“Academic frauds show true colors,” Douglas Murray, Jan. 5).

Regrettably, Gay went out on a decidedly low note, blaming her departure on the forces of racism and right-wing extremism. There was no contrition. No conciliatory tones. None of the sensibilities that would normally be expected of a university leader.

Through it all, Gay remained smug, arrogant and blithely oblivious to just how artless, tone-deaf and ignorant she sounded. Witnessing her unseemly lack of awareness, I was immediately reminded of an apt quote from famed American educator Amos Bronson Alcott, who many years ago said: “To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant.”

Michael J. DiStefano

Jamestown

I understand that Clau­d­ine Gay was a DEI jackpot who checked off multiple intersectionality boxes. That said, my question to the governing board of Harvard University is this: Of all the brilliant African-American women in this country who could have qualified to be president of your school, was she really the best option?

Warren Nitti

Edgewater, NJ

What have we learned from the Harvard debacle? First, that Jewish hatred is not tolerated by the American people. Gay’s insensitive performance before Congress was her Waterloo.

We were then reminded that plagiarism is the third rail of academia, and Gay’s scholarly hands are suffering third-degree burns.

We also learned that the left will inevitably play the race card. It was deployed most recently in Gay’s unapologetic resignation letter.

Finally, we learned that Harvard University students and faculty will remain under a scandalous cloud until its tenured, $900,000 albatross leaves the institution.

The ultimate question is: How long can a serial cheater remain at Harvard, without continuing to make the university a laughingstock of American higher education?

Leo de Natale

Waltham, Mass.

Gay’s resignation marks a disheartening moment for academia, raising concerns about the general state of higher education. As the first African American and second woman to lead this prestigious institution, her departure is deeply troubling.

The circumstances surrounding Gay’s resignation are especially concerning. Allegations of plagiarism were used as a pretext to oust her. This seems to be part of a larger trend, an attempt to silence voices advocating for justice, equality and Palestinian rights on college campuses.

The campaign against Gay, spearheaded by conservative forces and amplified through personal attacks, threats and unfounded allegations, points to a distressing reality. Ultimately, the resignation of Claudine Gay and the University of Pennsylvania’s Elizabeth Magill raises concerns about the chilling effect on academic freedom and integrity.

Jagjit Singh

Los Altos, Calif.

The Post’s coverage of Claudine Gay has ironically made my household far more peaceful — as it has considerably lessened our collective stress regarding college admissions for our youngest son.
With our two older sons, we did everything we could to get them into the best possible university.

Back then, “best” meant Ivy League, with Harvard being the pinnacle. One of our sons was able to secure that crimson ticket. Coming from the competitive world of New York City private schools, this was as good as it got.

Fast forward to 2024, where we’ve seen an increase of antisemitism on these elite campuses, feckless leadership and institutional advancement based on gender and race, rather than by achievement. We see these “great” institutions teaching young people not how to think, but what to think.

For our youngest son’s education, we now won’t consider Harvard, or any other Ivy League institution for that matter.

Mark S. Weiss

Manhattan

Want to weigh in on today’s stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@nypost.com. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.