For 9 years, professor Keith Jones of the Africana Studies department has been a pillar of excellence for the university, his students and his peers — and now, he is being terminated.
The decision to terminate Jones is not only an administrative act, but a philosophical one. It represents the true values of the university and it reveals what they are willing to sacrifice. What’s at jeopardy isn’t just the employment of a beloved professor, devoted father and much-appreciated community advocate, but the preservation of a model of education, one that challenges students and prepares them for a world that’s becoming more challenging by the second.
Universities should never be allowed to function as factories that produce colonials; their true purpose is to serve as spaces where intellect is polished and character is created. Education requires tension. It requires difficulty. It requires educators who are willing to push their peers beyond the realms of comfort. Jones personifies the model of what a true educator should be and what education could be outside of this system.
Throughout my time as his student, Jones has continued to challenge me in ways no other professor has. He does not accept nebulous thinking or laziness. He continues to push until arguments are meticulous and evidence is powerful. He asks questions that reveal your weaknesses, not to embarrass you, but to strengthen you. I have constantly been put into a position to defend arguments that I was unequipped to. I have faced my own intellectual deficits in front of my classmates. Yet in those instances of discomfort, I have grown the most. Like crafting a sword, the pressure redefined me, developed my discipline, and crafted a new found confidence rooted in knowledge rather than ego.
Jones has expanded my horizons in ways I never thought were possible. Because of him, spaces that once scarred me now feel like places I could truly thrive in. Conversations I would have once avoided due to the fear of not meeting a specific standard have become opportunities. Goals that felt impossible to achieve now feel like they’re within reach. He didn’t just hand me this confidence; he helped me develop it myself. Because of his relentless devotion to my growth, I know that I can walk into any space with my head held high. This transformation didn’t just happen overnight — it happened because of uncomfortable conversations and extremely high expectations. This newfound confidence is something I carry with me every day, and I attribute that to him.
My life even outside of academics has been altered by him for the better. When the opportunity to travel to Alabama arose, I questioned whether I should attend. Jones did not allow me to succumb to doubt — he pushed me to go. That trip was the turning point in my life and career. It opened my eyes to many possibilities and helped me center my goals. Without his support, I might have chosen fear over growth. Without his belief in me, I might have continued to doubt my ability. Jones has helped reshape my future. This is what is really at stake.
My experience is not isolated: many of his current and former students have described similar experiences to mine. Max Herschman wrote, “I would not be who I am right now without Dr. Jones.” He described Jones as the first professor who truly believed in him and helped him transform internalized anger into leadership deeply rooted in love. Yvelin Aridou shared that taking his class was “the best decision” she has made academically, and added that for the first time she felt seen — like her history and life mattered. Sarah Tatarczuk wrote that she “would not be half that human and scholar” she is today without him. She said his work is a “labor of love” and expressed deep concern over the loss of the most caring and historically knowledgeable professor she has ever encountered.
These are testimonies of transformative impact Jones has had on many of his students. These testimonies put into words the growth, development and moral formation that Jones strives to instill in those who surround themselves around him. At a university that values inclusion, precision and development, how can the termination of a professor who has exemplified these values be considered justice?
By terminating Keith Jones, we lose a true educator. We lose a mentor who turns anger into purpose, ambiguity into visibility, and overcomes the systemic barriers that confine us. If this university values intellect and mentorship, they must rethink their decision.
To university leadership: I strongly urge you to speak to the students whose lives were altered because of professor Jones. Reconsider whether this decision is in the best interest of the students you claim to serve.
To my fellow students: if you have grown in any way, shape, or form because of the mentorship and teaching of the ones, now is your time to speak up. Desmond Tutu wrote, “If you are neutral in a situation of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Silence will not rectify the issue. Write to the administration and share your stories. Make it known that this decision affects you.
I come today as an advocate for what true mentorship can create. My confidence is earned, my vision is broader, and my path is clearer. This didn’t happen by accident; it happened because Keith Jones didn’t give up on me. If we truly believe in education, then it is our duty to protect educators who make growth possible.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the number of years Jones has been a professor at UMass Boston.
