Shad White has done a commendable job overall as Mississippi’s aggressive, by-the-book state auditor. But he needs a little perspective in his crusade to hold a University of Mississippi professor accountable for a two-day strike in September.
White claims sociology professor James Thomas was paid almost $1,000 he didn’t earn while he zoned out as a protest against police brutality and other racial inequities. White’s office has spent almost that much investigating the case, according to the demand he issued against Thomas this month.
Even if White is technically correct that Thomas owes the money (a point the professor’s lawyer disputes), the auditor has bigger things to be spending his office’s time on than this.
This is a personnel matter that should have been left to the university to resolve. White’s interest seems to be more about Thomas’ antipathy toward Republicans than any financial misdeed.
