Student flunked for not supporting specific legislation
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) reports that student Bill Felkner was required as part of his coursework to lobby the Rhode Island legislature on specific policy proposals with which he disagreed:
In class, [Professor James] Ryczek assigned students to form groups to lobby the Rhode Island legislature for social welfare programs from an approved list. If a student could not find a suitable social welfare topic on the list, he or she could also lobby for gay marriage. Felkner did not support any of these programs or issues and asked Ryczek if he could instead lobby against one of them or for the Academic Bill of Rights. This request was refused. Felkner then joined with and participated in a group, but wrote an individually graded paper that argued against his group's position on the issue. Ryczek failed this paper, writing, "Regardless of the content, application of theory, and critical analysis, you did not write from the perspective you were required to use in this academic exercise. Therefore, the paper is must [sic] receive a failing grade."
[...]
"While professors may require students to work from a certain perspective as an academic exercise, RIC has required Felkner to do work that is intended to be used to lobby the legislature for policies he thinks are wrong," noted FIRE's [Director of Legal and Public Advocacy Greg] Lukianoff. "No educational institutionespecially if it is publicly supportedshould force its students to lobby for policies with which they disagree."
FIRE's [President David] French added, "RIC has repeatedly placed Bill Felkner in situations where he faces punishment for not sharing the officially imposed views of the School of Social Work. This is unacceptable. A misguided desire for uniformity of opinion must never take precedence over freedom of conscience."
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
28 Feb 2005 @ 10:14am
Money well spent
Word on the street is that University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill gets paid $96,000 per year. Only in the United States could someone be paid so handsomely for raving about how evil the United States is.
Maybe I'm in the wrong business...
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
18 Feb 2005 @ 1:48am
FIRE defends LeMoyne student expelled over class paper
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has come to the defense of Scott McConnell, the former LeMoyne College student who was expelled for advocating corporal punishment in a class assignment:
"Le Moyne College says it respects academic freedom, yet it has dismissed a student purely for expressing personal beliefs that are different from those espoused by administrators," stated David French, president of FIRE. "This shows a profound lack of respect for the opinions of its students. Le Moyne must not promise freedom and then allow extensive and arbitrary censorship on an administrator's whim."
In November 2004, McConnell submitted as part of an assignment a paper expressing his personal views on classroom management, including various ideas for attaining a classroom environment that is "based upon strong discipline and hard work" and that allows "corporal punishment." The paper received an "A-," with his professor noting that his ideas were "interesting" and that she had shared the paper with the department chair, Cathy Leogrande. McConnell ultimately received an "A" as his final grade in the course.
Yet in January 2005, with no prior warning, Leogrande dismissed McConnell from Le Moyne. In the dismissal letter, Leogrande stated that she had reviewed McConnell's grades for courses he took during the summer and fall semesters and had "discussed" his work with his professors. Leogrande wrote, "I have grave concerns regarding the mismatch between your personal beliefs regarding teaching and learning and the Le Moyne College program goals. Based on this data, I do not believe that you should continue in the Le Moyne [Master of Science for Teachers] Program." At the time he was dismissed, McConnell had achieved a grade-point average of 3.78 for the fall semester and had received an "excellent" evaluation for his work in an actual classroom.
"Scott McConnell is being kicked out of school for an 'A-' paper," noted FIRE's French. "It appears that at Le Moyne, ideological uniformity trumps any other ideal."
[...]
On February 8, Le Moyne responded to FIRE, stating that "the College does not believe it is appropriate to enter a public debate with your organization concerning the College's admission decision concerning any particular student."
"The fight for the academic freedom of Scott McConnell and for all Le Moyne students will not end just because administrators don't feel like addressing the issue," remarked Greg Lukianoff, FIRE's director of legal and public advocacy. "Le Moyne College administrators must learn that the freedom to dissent is everyone's business."
Posted by webmaster
16 Feb 2005 @ 4:10pm
An e-mail from a professor
Alfred Joseph claims to be an associate professor at the Miami University (of Ohio). We recently received this e-mail from him, which we believe illustrates quite well the environment that we're trying to document:
From: alfred joseph
Subject: a farce
Date: 10 February 2005 12:31:59 PM EST
1. George W. Bush was re-elected during a failed imperialist adventure.
2. He is dismantling what is left of social welfare programs.
3. Bible thumpers are making policy ( and leading the executive branch).
4. more imperialist adventures are on the horizon.
5. turning back affirmative action is a given
6. in a country with thousands of nuclear weapons he has some of the population convinced that countries with no or few nuclear warheads are a threat to the survival of the United States
7. many Americans get their information from nitwits on Fox TV.
8. Ann "the bitch" Coulter is a (self proclaimed) popular author. I used the term bitch intentionally to demonstrate that I can be a "politically incorrect" as the next guy.
Given the above, what the fuck are you assholes complaining about? Have you actually been in an American classroom lately?
-- ********************************************************************************
When I gave food to the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why the poor were hungry, they called me a communist.
--Dom Helda Camara, Brazilian Bishop
********************************************************************************
Alfred Joseph, PhD
Associate Professor
Dept. of Family Studies and Social Work
110 D McGuffey Hall
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
phone 513 529 4902
fax 513 529 6468
********************************************************************************
Admittedly, we haven't been in your classroom, Alfred. But somehow I suspect if we were, we might not get a fair shake from you.
Thanks for writing and helping us demonstrate the problem.
Posted by webmaster
10 Feb 2005 @ 1:14pm
The Torch: FIRE's new blog
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) just launched a new group blog called The Torch. David French, the President of FIRE, introduces The Torch:
Today is the first official day of the new FIRE blog. Those who are familiar with weblogs will recognize both the format (the "group blog") and the tone (slightly more familiar than the formal press releases on our home page). This blog represents FIRE's decisive step into the daily debate over academic freedom and individual liberty on campus. While our work has had national impact, recent events--such as the Ward Churchill case and the ongoing controversies at Columbia and Harvard--demonstrate the need for FIRE's unique nonpartisan voice in the blogosphere.
Regular contributors will include FIRE Director of Legal and Public Advocacy Greg Lukianoff as well as Program Officers Robert Shibley and Minnie Quach. We are particularly pleased that our cofounders, Alan Charles Kors and Harvey Silverglate, the chairman and vice chairman of FIRE, will contribute on occasion.
As you read The Torch, you will see that FIRE is truly nonpartisan. Our founders, our leaders, and our staff cross the political spectrum. On this page, you will read convincing defenses of free speech, religious freedom, due process, and freedom of conscience from the left and the right.
Finally, if you faithfully read The Torch, you will be astounded at the magnitude of the problem on our campuses. Our FIRE press releases do not describe the total incidents of campus repression and in fact represent a small fraction of the more than 350 formal case submissions (and thousands of emails) that FIRE receives every year. This blog will give you a greater sense of the scope of the problem and of FIRE's relentless efforts to expose and defeat the enemies of liberty on campus.
Posted by webmaster
8 Feb 2005 @ 3:16pm
Professor may be fired for controversial remarks
The Associated Press reports that the University of Colorado may be preparing to fire Ward Churchill, the controversial professor who compared those killed on September 11th to Nazis and said that they were not innocent victims.
We find these comments reprehensible. But we also believe that the best way to combat Professor Churchill is by opposing him with more speech. Creating an environment where tenured professors can be fired for controversial remarks is a dangerous precedent to set. Academic freedom provides a wide berth, and that's by design. Sometimes, controversy is merely the result of childish, mean-spirited remarks, but it's also true that many of mankind's most brilliant thinkers aroused controversy in their day. If they'd been silenced because others were upset by what they had to say, then we'd all be poorer for it. To ensure that professors can safely pursue the most innovative thinking, academic freedom should be respected.
Shoddy scholarship--not a knack for generating controversy--is the primary reason Professor Churchill shouldn't be holding his professor position. Still, the University of Colorado should have noticed that and acted when Churchill initially came up for tenure. Instead, low standards on the part of the university allowed him to gain tenure and even to chair a department. By giving Churchill tenure, the university made a tacit promise to stand behind him in the face of controversy. The university should respect that promise and protect his job.
We suspect the University of Colorado is acting not out of principle but a desire to quell a public relations disaster. If the university wants to make amends, hire a professor to do battle with Professor Churchill's ideas. That is the way towards truth, not silencing voices we find disturbing.
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
4 Feb 2005 @ 12:31am
School caves over Passion ban
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) announced its victory over a school that had previously banned a showing of The Passion of the Christ:
In a statement issued yesterday evening, Florida's Indian River Community College (IRCC) overturned its prohibition on a student-organized screening of The Passion of the Christ. IRCC made the decision after the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) took the case of the Christian Student Fellowship (CSF), which wanted to show the film, to the national media. IRCC's statement confirmed that the college had not enforced its policies on public expression consistently and according to constitutional guidelines. Late last week, CSF also reported that IRCC has rescinded its authoritarian requirement that a faculty advisor monitor all student organization meetings.
"We appreciate IRCC's acknowledgement of its mistakes and its recognition of its duty to allow constitutionally protected expression on campus," remarked FIRE President David French. "While the students never should have been put through this experience, FIRE is very pleased that IRCC ultimately decided to reject oppression and embrace liberty--not just for the Christian Student Fellowship, but for all of its students."
Last fall, IRCC prohibited CSF from hosting a screening of The Passion of the Christ on campus, justifying its actions by claiming to have banned all R-rated movies. Soon afterwards, it enacted a new policy requiring a faculty advisor's presence at all student group events. This Orwellian policy effectively prevented CSF from meeting because its demands on the time of CSF's faculty advisor forced him to resign. When CSF's efforts to resolve the situation proved unsuccessful, the group contacted FIRE for help.
FIRE intervened and quickly discovered and publicized a profound double standard: IRCC had recently allowed the performance of a skit called "F**king for Jesus" and a viewing of the R-rated documentary film Welcome to Sarajevo, but it would not allow the showing of The Passion of the Christ. Under intense media pressure, IRCC conducted a legal review of its policies, leading to yesterday's decision to permit the screening and last week's decision to lift the requirement that a college official attend all student group meetings.
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
2 Feb 2005 @ 5:44pm
Student expelled over class assignment?
A student at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, NY says that he was expelled for advocating corporal punishment in a class paper:
LeMoyne College expelled Scott McConnell, a student from its Masters of Education program, for writing a paper in which he advocated the use of corporal punishment in schools, he said.
The paper, written for a class on classroom management, originally earned McConnell an A-. However, when he attempted to enroll in classes for the spring semester, he found he couldn't.
"LeMoyne doesn't believe students should be able to express their own views," McConnell said. "If you differ from our philosophical ideal you will be expelled from our college."
[...]
It would set a bad precedent if students could be expelled for their beliefs, said Joe McManus, a junior engineering major.
"I think you should be able to say whatever you want, so long as he doesn't touch anyone," McManus said. "Whether or not corporal punishment is OK depends on where you grew up. You should not be penalized for thinking something."
"I wanted to go to school and LeMoyne has taken that chance from me," McConnell said. He is currently in the process of applying to programs at other schools in New York.
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
2 Feb 2005 @ 10:28am
Controversial speaker cancelled at Hamilton College
Ward Churchill, a professor at the University of Colorado (Boulder), has some rather extreme views on the September 11th attacks:
The [Pentagon] and those inside comprised military targets, pure and simple. As to those in the World Trade Center: Well, really. Let's get a grip here, shall we? True enough, they were civilians of a sort. But innocent? Gimme a break. They formed a technocratic corps at the very heart of America's global financial empire--the 'mighty engine of profit' to which the military dimension of U.S. policy has always been enslaved--and they did so both willingly and knowingly. If there was a better, more effective, or in fact any other way of visiting some penalty befitting their participation upon the little Eichmanns inhabiting the sterile sanctuary of the twin towers, I'd really be interested in hearing about it."
Recently, Professor Churchill was thrust into the limelight after he was invited to give a speech at Hamilton College. The resulting controversy caused Hamilton to rescind the invitation to Professor Churchill.
That's too bad. While we might have had a problem with the amount of money that Professor Churchill would have received from his appearance--$3,500--we also believe he has a right to speak his views, however vile we may find them. After all, in academia, Professor Churchill is apparently not considered a controversial figure. His remarks on the September 11th attacks are over three years old, and they generated no uproar until his scheduled talk at Hamilton. Professor Churchill's talk would have been a nice opportunity to document exactly what sort of thinkers can rise to the level of department chair at the University of Colorado.
Posted by Evan Coyne Maloney
1 Feb 2005 @ 8:10pm
|
