Some George Mason University Professors Oppose Naming Law School After Antonin Scalia

An open letter criticizes the school for not seeking campus input before making the change

George Mason University's decision to rename its law school after late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia is facing internal backlash, with dozens of professors and staff members signing a petition that warns the move would be harmful to the school and insulting to many students and employees.

The open letter, written by cultural affairs professor Craig Willse, says "the values that Scalia affirmed from the bench do not reflect the values of our campus community."

It also criticizes George Mason for agreeing to name the school for the late Supreme Court justice, at the request of an anonymous $30 million donor, without input from people who study or work there.

The signatories span a variety of departments at the Fairfax, Virginia-based university, but as of mid-afternoon Thursday, none represented the law school.

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