A Hofstra College political science professor has been trapped in a virtually one-year investigatory nightmare after a colleague reported him for racial discrimination for utilizing the phrase “phrase salad.”
Professor Richard Himelfarb made the comment at a Nov. 3, 2025 college assembly about proposed new programs on the personal Lengthy Island College.
Santiago Slabodsky, the chair of the varsity’s Jewish Research program, sparked an outcry when he proposed two programs — one on conspiracy theories and one other tying faith to “revolutionary actions in Latin America” be taught in his division, Himelfarb informed The Submit.
When 5 professors objected, Slabodsky allegedly launched right into a meandering diatribe the place he waxed poetic about his skilled accomplishments however didn’t deal with the professor’s considerations, Himmelfarb stated.
After the rant, Himelfarb known as out his colleague, saying, “That’s full phrase salad; I don’t perceive a factor Professor Slabodsky stated.”
The subsequent day, Slabodsky — who was born in Argentina — filed a criticism in opposition to Himelfarb alleging that the usage of the time period “phrase salad” disparaged his accent and South American heritage.
“Dr. Richard Himelfarb, who dismissed my detailed explanations by saying that he couldn’t perceive ‘the phrase salad’ of what I used to be saying, impugning not solely my language skill but in addition my sense and readability,” Slabodsky wrote within the criticism supplied to The Submit.
The college’s Human Sources Division Vice President Denise Cunningham informed Himelfarb in mid-February there was “affordable trigger” that he had disparaged Slabodsky’s ethnicity, and the probe was launched.
“I get up each day and this cloud is hovering over me, I spend hours each day responding to emails, speaking with attorneys, attending hearings,” Himelfarb stated.
Himelfarb provided to apologize, and Slabodsky demanded that he make a public apology, which the political science professor stated he was keen to do. However when Slabodsky was proven the textual content of the mea culpa by Cunningham, he rejected the apology.
The case was kicked as much as the College Harassment Board, an ad-hoc committee that may have the ability to suggest the college president Dr. Susan Poser fireplace Himelfarb regardless of his tenured standing, he stated.
In Could, he retained assist from the Basis for Particular person Rights and Expression (FIRE) Basis, a free speech advocacy group, and the Educational Freedom Alliance, which is offering him with a lawyer. Slabodsky filed a second criticism after Himelfarb retained outdoors assist in his case, alleging retaliation.
The Catastrophic Politics creator stated he’s not trying to sue or retaliate and solely retained authorized counsel after dropping religion within the administration’s skill to deal with his case appropriately.
Himelfarb informed The Submit he believes he’s being focused for being a conservative and stated that the purpose of the probe was supposed create a chilling impact to forestall professors from questioning their woke colleagues.
“Would any college member need to discuss something controversial understanding that it’s going to go on and on and on like this,” he requested.
“There was no disciplinary motion taken, and the matter is continuing in accordance with Hofstra College’s established processes. First Modification issues are extremely context particular. We’ve got no additional remark presently,” Hofstra College spokesperson Terry Coniglio stated.
Slabodsky didn’t reply to The Submit’s request for remark.
