In today’s Pope Center commentary, I offer a few thoughts on the flap at the University of Ottawa over the physics professor who decided to use his course for purposes of political indoctrination–a tactic he calls “squatting.”

Does academic freedom cover such conduct? No, it’s an abuse of academic freedom, no matter how lofty the professor thinks his goals are. It’s also a breach of contract, and lofty goals don’t excuse a breach of contract, although there are people who would carve out exceptions to the rules of law based on motives, circumstances, and the like.