Tirien Steinbach, the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Stanford Law School, has stepped down from her position following a controversy involving a sitting federal judge, as revealed in a recent correspondence from the school’s dean reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon.
Steinbach had faced criticism after a public confrontation with Judge Kyle Duncan of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which subsequently became viral on social media platforms.
“Although Associate Dean Steinbach intended to de-escalate the tense situation when she spoke at the March 9 event, she recognizes that the impact of her statements was not as she hoped or intended,” stated Jenny Martinez, the dean of Stanford Law School, in an email circulated on Thursday.
Steinbach, who had voiced her support for the protesting students and overtly criticized Judge Duncan, has decided to move on to pursue another opportunity.
During the incident, Steinbach chastised the conservative judge, Duncan, with remarks implying his statements were causing societal division.
She asked, “Do you have something so incredibly important to say,” that it could justify “division of these people?” and went further to question whether the “juice [was] worth the squeeze.”
The incident sparked debates regarding free speech and the role of diversity administrators in academic institutions.
Moreover, Steinbach was seen supporting the protesting students, including one who had made a highly offensive comment toward Duncan.
She reportedly blamed the entire incident on Duncan and expressed satisfaction that the protest was happening.
Following the controversy, the dean of the law school did not explicitly mention whether Steinbach was dismissed due to the event.
However, her email hinted that Stanford may have exerted pressure for the diversity dean’s departure.
Martinez acknowledged that the situation could have been managed better and stressed on the need for learning and growth.
“Both Dean Steinbach and Stanford recognize ways they could have done better in addressing the very challenging situation, including preparing for protests, ensuring university protocols are understood, and helping administrators navigate tensions when they arise,” she wrote.
Steinbach addressed her departure separately, stating, “The honor I feel to have held this role is undiminished by the circumstances surrounding the event with Judge Duncan.”
Steinbach’s exit comes after an ongoing demand for stricter free speech regulations at the institution.
Judge Duncan had previously urged the university to dismiss Steinbach, describing his experience as a “bizarre therapy session from hell.”
Furthermore, two circuit court judges, James Ho and Elizabeth Branch, had publicly stated that they would stop hiring Stanford Law clerks unless there were “meaningful, lasting institutional change.”
This week also saw the resignation of Stanford University’s president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, who stepped down following an inquiry that found him at fault for not adequately addressing falsified research, Free Beacon noted.
