Harvard Economist Roland Fryer Jr. Received Two-Year Suspension Following Harassment Allegations, Two Years After Controversial Police Force Paper Publication

Cambridge, MA – Harvard University economist Roland G. Fryer Jr., known for his controversial 2016 working paper on racial differences in police use of force, faced significant professional repercussions, including a two-year suspension from Harvard and resignation from a prominent economic association, following sexual harassment allegations that emerged approximately two years after his paper's initial release. The disciplinary actions against Fryer, a tenured professor and recipient of the prestigious John Bates Clark Medal, sparked broad discussion about academic conduct and the implications of his research.

Fryer's 2016 paper, "An Empirical Analysis of Racial Differences in Police Use of Force," analyzed data from over 1,000 police shootings across 10 major U.S. cities. While it found that Black and Hispanic individuals were significantly more likely to experience non-lethal force, it controversially concluded there was no racial bias in officer-involved shootings. This finding, which challenged widely held perceptions and existing research, generated considerable debate and criticism within academic and public spheres.

In March 2018, Harvard initiated an investigation into multiple Title IX complaints of sexual harassment against Fryer. Following the investigation, Harvard's faculty panel determined in July 2019 that Fryer had engaged in behavior violating the university's sexual harassment policies. As a result, he was suspended without pay for two years, prohibited from advising or supervising students, and barred from teaching graduate workshops. His research lab, the Education Innovation Laboratory (EdLabs), was also permanently closed.

Amidst the allegations and Harvard's investigation, Fryer also resigned from the executive committee of the American Economic Association in December 2018. This resignation came under pressure from fellow economists, highlighting the broader impact of the allegations on his standing within the academic community. Fryer acknowledged and expressed regret for fostering a collegial atmosphere at EdLabs that included "off-color jokes."

The events surrounding Fryer unfolded against a backdrop of intense national scrutiny on police conduct and racial justice. His research, which he stated was motivated by a desire to use data to understand racial differences in policing, became entangled with the personal conduct allegations. While some viewed the disciplinary actions as a necessary response to misconduct, others perceived a punitive element linked to the unpopular conclusions of his academic work.

After completing his two-year suspension, Roland Fryer Jr. was permitted to return to teaching and research at Harvard University in 2021. His case continues to be a notable example of the complex interplay between controversial academic research, personal conduct, and institutional accountability within higher education.