Dr. Stephen Kershnar

A resolution by the Fredonia University Senate is calling recent statements by a philosophy professor regarding adult sex with children as “morally reprehensible and irresponsible.”

Dr. Stephen Kershnar’s comments, which began to surface last week, were made during a video that originally appeared on the “Brain in a Vat” YouTube channel. In addition, Kershnar made similar statements in the podcast “Unregistered with Thaddeus Russell.”

“Students, faculty, and community members have reacted strongly to Dr. Stephen Kershnar’s comments on adult sex with children … (that) have appeared on various social media platforms,” the statement by the University Senate noted. “Unfortunately, Dr. Kershnar’s comments have been linked to the university.”

Senate members said it “condemns” Kershnar’s statements even as it recognizes his right to make the comments. “As faculty, we have the obligation to educate our students to become skilled, connected, creative, and responsible global citizens and professionals. Fredonia faculty are mandatory child abuse reporters and many of our students are training to be teachers, who are mandated child abuse reporters. We condemn Dr. Kershnar’s statements, which have the potential to normalize attitudes and behaviors that cause great emotional, psychological, and cognitive damage to survivors of child sexual abuse. Dr. Kershnar’s statements do not represent the values of the Fredonia University Senate.”

Late last week, University President Stephen H. Kolison announced steps to ban Kershnar from the campus and classroom.

“Effective immediately and until further notice, the professor is being assigned to duties that do not include his physical presence on campus and (he) will not have contact with students while the investigation is ongoing,” Kolison said in a statement on Twitter.

Kershnar is a tenured professor at the university. According to the American Association of University Professors, the tenure designation “is to safeguard academic freedom, which is necessary for all who teach and conduct research in higher education. When faculty members can lose their positions because of their speech, publications, or research findings, they cannot properly fulfill their core responsibilities to advance and transmit knowledge.”

While the Senate acknowledges Kershnar’s right to research this topic as well as his First Amendment rights to speak on this topic, the Senate resolution “condemns Professor Kershnar’s statements on sex with children in the strongest possible terms, finding them morally reprehensible and irresponsible.”

According to the resolution, the Senate executive committee is made up of six members with another seven acting as Standing Committee Chairs. It is comprised of faculty representatives from every academic department and area and professional staff/management representatives from each of the four university divisions on campus.