Posted on 03/11/2003 2:52:23 AM PST by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Citrus College student Chris Stevens wanted a few extra credit points just like his classmates, so even though he supports President Bush, he decided to write a letter to the White House voicing his opposition to a war against Iraq. But when he found out his letter was actually going to be mailed, he had second thoughts.
Stevens took his concerns to the administration and the California College Republicans. He eventually alerted the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a civil rights group that keeps close tabs on student liberty issues.
In the span of less than a week, the Glendora, Calif., community college had placed the part-time instructor, Rosalyn Kahn, on paid administrative leave. The college's president, Louis E. Zellers, is also planning to write President Bush a formal apology.
"It's important to stand up for your rights and beliefs, even if they are unpopular," Stevens said. "You can't compromise your beliefs just because she's a professor. You should be able to voice your opinions, and in this case do assignments that support your beliefs, not your instructor's beliefs."
Looking back on the matter, Stevens said his persistence paid off. Students were not only asked to write antiwar letters, but also letters opposing state budget cuts for education. Once the details of these extra credit assignments began to spread, the college quickly addressed the situation.
Kahn, who is also an adjunct instructor at Pasadena City College, could not be reached for comment. She told the Los Angeles Times the allegations were "100 percent lies."
Citrus College plans to keep Kahn on administrative leave until all 25 students in the Speech 106 class can be interviewed, said Samuel T. Lee, associate dean for language arts and foreign languages. He did not know how long that might take, but a new professor will teach the class in the interim.
Lee said the college was not opposed to the idea behind the assignment - the class regularly discusses political issues - but rather the notion that Kahn allegedly interjected her political beliefs into matter, forcing students to express a particular viewpoint to earn the extra credit.
"It's a terrible situation for the college to be in to have an instructor doing something like that," Lee said. "I wish it had all not happened, but seeing as it did, I'm pleased that we were able to come to such a quick resolution."
Stevens said he would raise the issue with administrators at Pasadena City College, where Kahn has worked for the past two to three years, according to Paul H. Killian, dean of performing and communication arts.
Killian said he planned to ask Kahn if Pasadena students were given the same assignment. He was aware of letters students wrote to their state legislators about education funding, but no student had complained about the assignment, he said.
"One of the hallmarks in the performing arts is to encourage students to be individual thinkers," Killian said. "Telling them how to write politically hardly seems to be that."
At least one organization is urging caution before Kahn's employers rush to a decision.
Jonathan Knight, associate secretary for the American Association of University Professors, a group that defends academic freedom, noted that Kahn has denied the allegations and should be given a fair hearing.
"We're always concerned when the administration acts as the prosecutor, the jury and the judge," he said.
Knight acknowledged, however, that such conduct should warrant an inquiry.
"Students should not be offered the opportunity for extra credit only if they see eye-to-eye with the instructor on the political issue of the day," he said. "It's quite contrary to the notion of academic freedom for students. But whether or not it's true in this case, I have no way of knowing."
\tx720\tx1440\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\tx5040\tx5760\tx6480\tx7200\tx7920\tx8640\tx9360\tx10080\tx10800\tx11520\tx12240\tx12960\tx13680\tx14400\tx15120\tx15840\tx16560\tx17280\tx18000\tx18720\tx19440\tx20160\tx20880\tx21600\tx22320\tx23040 FIRE Chief Executive Officer Thor L. Halvorssen said professors routinely engage in inappropriate behavior by injecting their political beliefs on students. His group was most recently active in a similar situation at the University of South Carolina.
Even high school students have challenged their teachers about extra credit assignments. Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a teacher at Leto High School in Tampa, Fla., offered her students extra credit if they made $1 donations to the American Red Cross. After an investigation, the school found no one's grade changed as a result of the assignment.
Halvorssen said Citrus College "avoided a moral and legal nightmare" by taking quick action, but he also cautioned administrators to respect Khan's due process rights, as they have vowed to do. Still, he remained critical of her motives.
"As a class exercise, she can no doubt require students to take a certain position," he said. "She cannot coerce them to hold that position personally, let alone sign a letter to the president of the United States...let alone expect them to send it if they want credit."
E-mail a news tip to Robert B. Bluey.
Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.
Don't sound too surprised; this is hardly an isolated incident.
As they should. I meant if the allegations are true. I was thinking about this earlier and wondered if the assignment might have been to write a letter, not necessarily an anti-war letter, and that the student thought that because the instructor made clear his/her anti-war feelings. I simply don't know and the college is right to make sure.
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