John C. McAdams
{{Short description|American political scientist (1945–2021)}}
John Charles McAdams (October 26, 1945 – April 15, 2021){{cite web|title=McAdams, John, 1945-|url=http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2011023402.html|work=id.loc.gov|publisher=Library of Congress|accessdate=January 14, 2013|author=Library of Congress|author-link=Library of Congress|location=Washington, D.C.}}{{Cite web|last=Shastri|first=Devi|title=John McAdams, political science professor who took Marquette to the state Supreme Court, dies|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2021/04/15/marquette-political-science-professor-john-mcadams-dies/7246026002/|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|language=en-US}} was an American conservative and associate professor of political science at Marquette University.{{Cite news|url=http://watchdog.org/286018/marquette-john-mcadams-academic-freedom/|title=Marquette says John McAdams' suspension to continue until he apologizes - Watchdog.org|date=2017-01-15|newspaper=Watchdog.org|access-date=2017-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214103240/http://watchdog.org/286018/marquette-john-mcadams-academic-freedom/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |last=Dickey |first=Jack |date=November 5, 2013 |title=The Debunker Among the Buffs |url=https://nation.time.com/2013/11/05/the-debunker-among-the-buffs/ |newspaper=Time |access-date=August 24, 2014}} McAdams taught courses on American politics and public policy, voter behavior, and the John F. Kennedy assassination; he ran a website on the assassination and published a book on the subject, JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy (2011). He described himself as "a debunker by temperament". McAdams was suspended by Marquette in 2014 for publicly criticizing and sharing the first and last name of a graduate student teacher on his personal blog. McAdams filed suit for breach of contract and in 2018 the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered the university to reinstate him.{{cite news | url = https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2018/07/06/marquette-professor-john-mcadams-prevails-academic-freedom-case/759800002| title = Wisconsin Supreme Court sides with Marquette professor John McAdams in free speech case, orders university to reinstate him | publisher = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | date = July 6, 2018}}
Biography
= Early life and education =
McAdams attended Kennedy High School in Kennedy, Alabama.{{cite news|last=Parks|first=Dan|title=Students view 'JFK' in lesson on evidence; New MU class examines data|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VqtRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6715%2C8485243|page=6A|accessdate=January 15, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel|date=December 31, 1993|location=Milwaukee}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He gained an undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama and a masters from Teachers College, Columbia University.John C. McAdams, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2OJeNytAOZkC JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy], Potomac Books, 2011. p307 He earned his PhD from Harvard University in 1981.{{cite web |url=http://www.marquette.edu/polisci/faculty_mcadams.shtml |title=John C. McAdams | Department of Political Science | Marquette University |publisher=Marquette.edu |accessdate=October 16, 2012 |archive-date=March 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305082829/http://www.marquette.edu/polisci/faculty_mcadams.shtml |url-status=dead }}
=Career=
McAdams taught courses on American politics and public policy and the John F. Kennedy assassination and has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Sociological Quarterly, and Law and Contemporary Problems.
McAdams maintained The Kennedy Assassination Home Page, a web page of articles, resources, and links devoted to debunking various conspiracies regarding the assassination. The site has been called "impressively comprehensive",Web of Conspiracy: A Guide to Conspiracy Theory Sites on the Internet By James F. Broderick, Darren W. Miller, Information Today, Inc., 2008 "the best gateway to serious and reliable materials"The history highway 3.0: a guide to internet resources By Dennis A. Trinkle, Scott A. Merriman, M.E. Sharpe, 2002 and "the best collection of Kennedy assassination-related information."Great American Websites: an online discovery of a hidden America By Edward J. Renehan, Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1997 He was also the moderator of the Usenet group alt.assassination.jfk. He is the author of the book JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy (2011).{{cite book |title=JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy |last=McAdams |first=John |year=2011 |publisher=Potomac Books, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-1-59797-489-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OJeNytAOZkC |accessdate=March 6, 2012}}
== Controversy ==
On December 12, 2014, McAdams was placed on indefinite academic leave from Marquette University and was suspended from all teaching and faculty duties, banned from campus but retaining pay and benefits. This indefinite suspension came about after McAdams publicly criticized a graduate student teacher by name in a post on his personal blog. He said the instructor had refused to allow a student in an ethics class to express their views against gay marriage in class because the instructor believed that these views are homophobic and offensive.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/marquettes-john-mcadams-suspended-after-criticizing-ta-on-gay-marriage-discussion-b99410656z1-286100731.html|title=MU prof banned for criticizing TA on gay marriage discussion|website=www.jsonline.com|access-date=2016-04-13}}{{Cite news |last=Svrluga |first=Susan |date=2021-10-27 |title=A university moved to fire a professor after he defended a student's right to debate gay marriage. Now he's suing. |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/05/02/a-university-moved-to-fire-a-professor-after-he-defended-a-students-right-to-debate-gay-marriage-now-hes-suing/ |access-date=2023-08-07 |issn=0190-8286}} A letter from Marquette University indicated that the firing was the result of his thrice violating student privacy and deliberately publishing students' names and information to target them for harassment, and because he had done so in the third instance, despite previously acknowledging that posting student names was a matter of concern.{{cite web|url=http://fox6now.com/2015/02/04/in-letter-to-tenured-professor-john-mcadams-marquette-officials-say-theyve-begun-the-process-of-firing-him/|title=In letter to tenured professor John McAdams, Marquette officials say they've begun the process of firing him|author=Katie Delong|date=February 4, 2015|publisher=FOX6Now.com}}{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4jS38HQ3f8dSDhNX1FQRnlpcTQ/view?pli=1&sle=true|title=Letter to John McAdams|author=Richard C. Holz|date=January 30, 2015}}
On March 24, 2016, Marquette released an announcement detailing the decision of University President Michael Lovell, formally implementing the unanimous recommendation contained in a 123-page report composed by the Faculty Hearing Committee after a 4-day investigation. McAdams' suspension was extended until January 2017 without pay but with benefits, and any return was conditioned on his writing a full letter of apology by April 4, 2016. McAdams told local news media that the requirement to write an apology was "a deal killer. No, I'm not going to do that."{{cite news | url=http://fox6now.com/2016/03/24/marquette-university-takes-action-in-case-of-political-science-professor-john-mcadams/ | title=Political science professor John McAdams suspended by Marquette University | work=fox6now.com | date=24 March 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://marquettewire.org/3946547/news/mcadams-suspended-through-fall-2016-semester/ | title=McAdams suspended through fall 2016 semester | work=Marquette Wire | date=24 March 2016 | author=Dawson, Andrew}}{{cite web | url=https://news.marquette.edu/message-from-president-michael-r-lovell-to-the-marquette-community-march-24-2016/ | title= Message from President Michael R. Lovell to the Marquette community – March 24, 2016 | publisher=Marquette University | author=Lovell, Michael R.}} The announcement triggered a barrage of hateful and threatening messages and emails directed at the graduate student and at Marquette University officials.{{cite news | url=http://fox6now.com/2016/03/31/mu-pres-issues-call-for-decency-says-former-grad-student-subject-to-hate-over-professors-suspension/ | title=MU pres. issues "call for decency," says former grad student subject to hate over professor's suspension | work=fox6 now.com | date=31 March 2016 | author=Delong, Katie}}{{cite web|last1=Lovell|first1=Michael|title=A call for decency: A message from Marquette University President Michael Lovell|url=https://medium.com/@marquetteu/a-call-for-decency-ea3f2efeff54#.kd36ir7kl|website=Medium.com|accessdate=12 May 2016}} The graduate student later transferred to another university, saying she feared for her safety. More than a year after the graduate student left the school, McAdams continued to publish on his blog about her, including disclosing the name of the university she attended after Marquette.{{Cite news |last=Svrluga |first=Susan |date=2021-10-27 |title=A university moved to fire a professor after he defended a student's right to debate gay marriage. Now he's suing. |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/05/02/a-university-moved-to-fire-a-professor-after-he-defended-a-students-right-to-debate-gay-marriage-now-hes-suing/ |access-date=2023-08-07 |issn=0190-8286}}
On April 4, 2016, McAdams issued a 4-page letter{{Cite web|url=http://www.will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-04-Signed-Letter-to-Lovell.pdf|title=Letter to President Lovell|last=McAdams|first=John|date=April 4, 2016|access-date=2016-04-13|archive-date=2016-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418091057/http://www.will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-04-Signed-Letter-to-Lovell.pdf|url-status=dead}} to President Lovell, formally rejecting his demands, and calling them "compelled speech."
McAdams filed a lawsuit against Marquette, alleging that the suspension and pending dismissal amounted to a breach of contract.{{cite news|last1=Zervakis|first1=Pete|title=Marquette professor John McAdams suing university over suspension|url=http://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/marquette-professor-john-mcadams-suing-university-over-suspension|accessdate=11 May 2016|agency=WTMJ|date=2 May 2016}} In response the university released the 123-page Faculty Hearing Committee report, which alleged a pattern of bullying and reckless behavior by McAdams, including at least three previous attempts to intimidate fellow faculty members by threatening to publish their names to his blog.{{cite news|last1=Herzog|first1=Karen|title=MU report suggests pattern of bullying by suspended McAdams|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/mu-report-suggests-pattern-of-bullying-by-suspended-mcadams-b99719701z1-378518555.html|accessdate=11 May 2016|agency=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel}}{{cite web|title=In the Matter of the Contested Dismissal of Dr. John C. McAdams|url=http://marquette.edu/leadership/documents/20160118-MUFHC-Final-Report-Contested-Dismissal-Dr-John-C-McAdams.pdf|accessdate=11 May 2016|work=Faculty Hearing Committee Report|archive-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508232740/http://marquette.edu/leadership/documents/20160118-MUFHC-Final-Report-Contested-Dismissal-Dr-John-C-McAdams.pdf|url-status=dead}}
In July 2018, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered the university to reinstate him.McAdams v. Marquette University, Wisconsin Supreme Court No. 2017AP001240, https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=215236 (July 6, 2018) Following a sabbatical, McAdams returned to the university in 2019.{{Cite web|last=Wells|first=Benjamin|title=Political science professor John McAdams passes away|url=https://marquettewire.org/4054115/news/political-science-professor-john-mcadams-passes-away/|access-date=2021-06-20|website=Marquette Wire}}
= Death =
Politics
McAdams has been described as a "vocal conservative"{{cite news|last=Twohey|first=Megan|title=Marquette bans feminist play University calls it too distracting; critics say move limits free speech|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UiwqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FUUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3664%2C6089944|page=1B, 2B|accessdate=January 15, 2013|newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel|date=March 9, 2006|location=Milwaukee}} and was a proponent of capital punishment.{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Chris|title=Mixed Views on the Death Penalty|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070612/12deathpenalty.htm|accessdate=January 15, 2013|newspaper=U.S. News & World Report|date=June 12, 2007}} In 2006, he testified before the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights Subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary as an expert on capital punishment.{{cite book |title=S. Hrg. 109-540 - AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE UNITED STATES |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-109shrg29599/pdf/CHRG-109shrg29599.pdf |date=February 1, 2006 |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |page=14}}
McAdams ran the blog Marquette Warrior which was linked, along with several other blogs, to a pro-Walmart PR effort.{{cite news|last=Barbaro|first=Michael|title=Wal-Mart Enlists Bloggers in P.R. Campaign|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/technology/07blog.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0|accessdate=January 15, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 7, 2006|location=New York}}
Books
- JFK Assassination Logic: How to Think about Claims of Conspiracy, Potomac Books, 2011
- The New Class in Post-Industrial Society, [http://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9781137515407 Palgrave Macmillan], 2015
- What Your Professors Won’t Tell You: Political Correctness Meets Social Science, KBook Publishing, 2024
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190305223936/https://www.marquette.edu/political-science/directory/john-mcadams.php Marquette faculty page]
- [https://www.jfk-assassination.net/ The Kennedy Assassination Home Page]
- [http://mu-warrior.blogspot.com/ Marquette Warrior blog]
- {{Scopus id}}
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Category:American male non-fiction writers
Category:American political writers
Category:Critics of conspiracy theories
Category:Marquette University faculty
Category:University of Alabama alumni
Category:Teachers College, Columbia University alumni
Category:Harvard University alumni
Category:People from Lamar County, Alabama
Category:Political science educators
Category:Researchers of the assassination of John F. Kennedy