The Christmas parade tragedy in Waukesha is heartbreaking and has deeply affected many members of the UWM community. Professor Grusin’s comments in response to the tragedy are deeply disheartening and do not reflect the sentiments of the university’s leadership or the values of the institution. While we respect our employees’ legal right to free speech, we also routinely reinforce with them the importance of listening and speaking with care and being sensitive to the fact that our words can help or hurt.