Trump, race, and “violent” classrooms: UW–Madison dean’s remarks set off academic firestorm

The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Associate Dean Percival Matthews has come under scrutiny after Fox News Digital reported that he called former President Donald Trump a racist and co-authored a paper describing the US education system as “inherently violent” toward Black students. The controversy has reignited debate over academic freedom, institutional neutrality, and racial discourse in higher education.