"Phantom Professor" blogger loses teaching job

Southern Methodist University has decided not to renew adjunct professor and blogger Elaine Liner's contract of employment. A major brouhaha has ensued.

The Dallas Morning News reports:

When an anonymous professor launched a brutally honest Web site, some SMU students thought the resemblance to their school was striking – and offensive.

The "Phantom Professor" blog dished about epidemic eating disorders and wealthy students looking for a "Mrs." degree. The author dubbed girls in $500 sandals toting $1,500 handbags "the Ashleys" and called a handsome male colleague "Hot Pockets."

Now, after much speculation, Elaine Liner's identity has been confirmed. A local writer, she has done theater reviews for the Dallas Observer in recent months and has written articles for The Dallas Morning News in the past.

Southern Methodist University recently decided that it no longer needs Ms. Liner's services as an adjunct professor teaching classes on writing and ethics to communications students.

In reality, Ms Liner isn't brutally honest, she's brutally opinionated:

On the blog, Ms. Liner offered effusive praise for some of her students but delivered biting commentary when discussing others. She derides "the Ashleys" with "their Prada handbags and their SUVs (brand new, all filled with high octane charged to daddy's plastic) and their size 0 derrieres kept warm with pastel Juicy Couture sweats that show just a hint of dorsal cleavage."

Dr. Kirk said that such characterizations created tension in the classroom.

"Students in her class came to me and said ... 'Am I being judged just because I have good shoes?' " Dr. Kirk said.

Elaine Liner almost certainly lost her job because of the disdainful and ethically questionable treatment of students on her blog. She knew students and their parents would not like her observations so she blogged anonymously. In the end she drew way too much attention to herself and lost her job anyway. Boo hoo.