Harvard Suspends Economist Roland Fryer for Two Years, Closing Lab Engaged in Social Justice Research Amidst Misconduct Allegations

Cambridge, MA – Prominent Harvard University economist Roland G. Fryer Jr. was suspended for two years without pay and his Education Innovation Laboratory (EdLabs) was permanently closed in July 2019 following investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and financial improprieties. The decision marked a significant turning point for Fryer, a MacArthur Fellow and John Bates Clark Medal recipient, whose work often focused on critical social issues.

Fryer, who became Harvard's youngest Black tenured professor at age 30, established EdLabs in 2008 to conduct rigorous, data-driven research on racial disparities in education and other areas. His work included studies on the Black achievement gap, the effectiveness of charter schools, and a highly controversial 2016 paper on racial differences in police use of force. This research, particularly the police study, challenged prevailing narratives by finding no racial bias in lethal police encounters after controlling for various factors, a finding that reportedly "didn't sit well" with some university leadership.

The university's investigations concluded that Fryer engaged in "unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature" towards several individuals and exhibited behavior that violated community standards. While an initial Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) recommendation suggested sensitivity training, a faculty panel, including then-Dean Claudine Gay, pushed for and implemented harsher penalties. Fryer expressed regret for the "insensitive and inappropriate comments" but denied bullying or retaliation.

The handling of Fryer's case has drawn debate, with some suggesting that the severity of his punishment was influenced by his controversial research, which some viewed as challenging certain "social justice" orthodoxies. Economist Matt Burgess stated in a recent tweet, "Those who participated in Fryer's defenestration and the closing of his lab... on 'social justice' grounds have some serious soul searching to do." Burgess characterized the episode as "an ugly chapter in the history of our field (economics)."

Fryer returned to teaching and research at Harvard in July 2021 after his suspension, though EdLabs remains closed. Since his return, he has co-founded Equal Opportunity Ventures (EOV), an investment firm supporting entrepreneurs focused on social impact, and Sigma Squared, a data-driven diversity consulting firm. These new ventures continue his commitment to addressing societal challenges through empirical analysis and market-based solutions.