Score: Chemerinsky 1, UC-Irvine; academic freedom, 0

I don't know which is more absurd--that UC-Irvine hired and then fired renowned scholar (and all-around great person) Erwin Chemerinsky or that UC-Irvine had hired him without knowing about his many accomplishments (including his op-eds, etc.). Was the internal conversation at UC-Irvine something akin to the conversation in Casablanca (Warner Home Video 1942), courtesy of imdb.com:

Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling
is going on in here! [A croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce]: Oh, thank you very much.

Geez. How can UC-Irvine (or any place) hope for a "top 20" (no, don't get me started on that) law school without figuring out that great law schools hire people who have national or international reputations because they speak and write on topics of consequence, some of which might be controversial?

I'm sure that there are two sides to every story. Let's just say I'm dying to hear what UC-Irvine has to say. I could use a good laugh, if it weren't such a sad reflection on the times.