Thomas Jefferson University's President, Dr. Mark Tykocinski, has come under fire for "liking" tweets that question the science behind COVID-19 vaccines and criticize transgender surgeries for children.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Yale-educated molecular immunologist used his Twitter account to endorse tweets critical of diversity offices on college campuses and express other controversial views.
The paper counted nearly 30 tweets from Alex Berenson that Tykocinski "liked" in the last year. Berenson has been dubbed "the pandemic's wrongest man" by The Atlantic. Joseph G. Cacchione, CEO of Thomas Jefferson University, condemned Tykocinski's "careless use" of Twitter, stating that "at his level, he is held to a higher standard and should have known better."
Berenson, in response, tweeted that "academic freedom is dead," while Twitter CEO Elon Musk called the school's response "absurd."
Tykocinski has since issued an apology. In a statement to The Inquirer, he explained that he "liked" the tweets in question to bookmark them to "learn more about the subject matter or the particular viewpoint."
However, he added that he did not understand that "liking" a tweet could be interpreted as endorsing the thought or person expressing it. Tykocinski also expressed regret that his lack of understanding of the Twitter platform caused some to question his views on complex issues.
He clarified that he does not believe vaccines are harmful and that the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were initially made available through an accelerated emergency use authorization process, which saved millions of lives. He added that academic institutions play a crucial role in answering vaccine questions.
Regarding transgender surgeries for children, Tykocinski stated that it was not his clinical area of expertise and that issues involving children should be referred to clinical experts at children's hospitals who offer the full complement of services necessary.
Thomas Jefferson University intends to use the situation as a teaching moment regarding the understanding, impact, and prudent use of social media. The college aims to educate its faculty, employees, and students on navigating social media and avoiding spreading misinformation.
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