Last October, Madonna Constantine, a tenured professor of counseling and clinical psychology at Columbia University’s Teachers College, was thrust into the public spotlight after a hangman’s noose was found hanging on her door. Several months later, she found herself once again in the public eye, not as a victim but as an alleged intellectual thief who plagiarized several passages from her former students.

Since her termination from the Teachers College, Constantine has vehemently denied the allegations and appealed the University’s decision. However, she has been unsuccessful thus far in her attempts to sway the administration.

The Columbia Spectator reports:

Though TC’s Faculty Advisory Committee had already rejected an appeal of sanctions imposed on her based on plagiarism charges, this summer Constantine appealed the FAC’s recommendation. The appeal, announced in a letter addressed to TC President Susan Fuhrman from Giacomo’s office, claimed that Constantine’s termination was retaliation for Constantine’s appeal of the first decision. The letter demanded a “de novo” or brand new investigation of all plagiarism charges and called for the removal of TC professor Barry Farber from the FAC due to a conflict of interests.

Giacomo, who was out of town this weekend, argued in the summer appeal letter that TC should not use statements by Constantine condemning the institution as grounds for her termination. He claimed that this violates her First Amendment rights.

Wait – what does freedom of speech have to do with plagiarism?

Nothing, that’s what – unless you’re a desperate lawyer looking for some way to have a frivolous lawsuit reviewed by the Supreme Court.