Need help with letter of complaint to college school board

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[momfirst]

I would like help with my letter of complaint to the school board of the college I attend. The sociology instructor I had last term continually bashed the Bush administration and anything conservative. I know, nothing new there. I did, however, find a school board policy that he may have violated. I have drafted a letter, but I know there are so many well-educated people on this board I hoped someone may look it over and give me feedback before I send it. Here's the letter:

Dear Members of the School Board;

I am currently a Portland Community College student and am writing this letter to lodge a formal complaint against Andrew Butz, Sociology instructor. This issue is not regarding my grade, in contrast I received an ‘A’ grade in his Sociology 103 class last term. Despite the letter grade I received, I was extremely uncomfortable and dreaded attending each class. I realize that Sociology is the study of societies and that is what drew me to the class in the first place. I did not realize, however, that I was going to be subject to political propaganda each and every morning that only served his personal agenda, not two sides, only the liberal side. I also realize that the general aura of college life is liberal. Any conservative view is considered bigotry and thus those of us that have those views are refrained from sharing them and basically just keep quiet in fear of being ridiculed. I have learned to adjust and I do accept the fact that everyone is entitled to their views and freedom of speech. This does not mean, however, that the enforcement of certain political views are to be taught in a class where I paid tuition to learn about sociology as a whole.

According to School Board Policy B 702 - Political Activities, it states "No public employee shall solicit any money, influence service or other thing of value or otherwise aid or promote any political committee and aid, promote or oppose the nomination or election of a candidate, the adoption of a measure or the recall of a public office holder while on the job during working h ours. However, this section does not restrict the right of a public employee to express personal political views." It also states that employees may not use college telephones, rooms, offices or equipment for political activity, except in designated ‘free speech’ areas.

It is in this policy that Andrew Butz has crossed the line between expressing his personal political views and has used class time and equipment to solicit support of various political activities as well as oppose the reelection of our current president, George W. Bush. To be specific in how this line was crossed, I will outline some examples:

1. In the beginning of each class he reads off announcements. These announcements included activities on campus, but it also included a number of anti-corporate and anti-war protests. This issue is borderline and could be considered him expressing his own views. Others on this list clearly violate the policy, but this will help get the picture of the depth and saturation of the propaganda.

2. Beyond the announcements, he continued the start of class by reading statistics that that were in opposition of the war, in opposition of the president, and in opposition to capitalism.

3. During the last two classes, he circulated a large folder that contained his personal mail (with address removed) and strongly encouraged everyone to take information and "get involved". This folder consisted of political material including, but not limited to, solicitations for donations to organizations such as abortion rights groups and groups intent on defeating president Bush in the reelection. I will admit that I flipped though a few papers and since everything I saw was considerably liberal and against my personal values, I passed it on. The folder remained thick by the second time around and Mr. Butz again strongly encouraged us to take information and "get involved", passing it around again.

4. During our final class, our assignments were to give a 3-4 minute presentation. Figuring the number of people in class, this was a time-crunch as it was. To that extent, Mr. Butz arrived 5 minutes before class and got angry that students would use class time to cue their video’s, stating that was to be done before class. I repeat, he arrived 5 minutes before class start and had the video’s in his possession. He stated that since they would need to take class time to do this, we may need to stay late to get through all the presentations. Despite this fact, he used the first 20 minutes of class (I watched the clock) to do several things. He recited a mock "Pledge of Allegiance" that slammed corporate America and apologized for not having us repeat this from the start of term. He played a video from MoveOn.org that produced a negative ad against the Bush administration. Then he continued reading statistics he presumably got off the show Dateline the evening before regarding the war in Iraq. I also watched the Dateline episode and was familiar with the statistics he was reciting, only I noticed he omitted the statistics showing anything positive about U.S. occupation and rebuilding of the nation or anything positive about the ousting of Saddam Hussein. He focused purely on the statistics he thought proved that the war was wrong. This all took 20 minutes of class time. Subsequently, we were unable to get through all the presentations before class was over. Some students were required to stay late, one of whom I know had another final exam in her next class 10 minutes later. As I left on time, I am unsure what happened with that student or the others.

5. The final exam, a take-home exam, included a photocopy of a comic depicting our president in extremely negative light. No questions were pertaining to this comic, it was added as an enhancement to the test. I have enclosed a copy of this comic. I did not find it funny, I found it offensive.

6. Though the school policy didn’t specify religion, I do have to point out a statement he made in class that I will never forget and took great offense to. While on the subject of violence in America, he correlated that with the high rate of church going Christians we have in America. As a Christian, I couldn’t believe that he tied the two together, feeling like my religious beliefs were the cause of violence in this country.

My goal in drawing your attention to this issue is to take this opportunity to inform your instructors, namely Andrew Butz, that class time is just that, class time. Students have paid tuition to learn the subject at hand. This time is not to be used to solicit your personal political agenda nor foster the feeling of hatred for America and their current president. I was not alone in my feeling of dread of going to these classes. A fellow student commented on how she has never taken such a negative class and also felt like she and her views were being belittled. If bringing this issue to your attention prevents other students from being subjected to one-sided political speeches and message of disdain for their personal views, I will be satisfied.

Please take these issues seriously. Campus life is supposed to be a safe and comfortable place for all students. In this class, I felt like my way values were being labeled as ‘wrong’. I felt basically harassed, though I was not comfortable voicing my opinion, thus could not really be singled out. There is a time and a place for these activities, instruction time is not one of them. I would appreciate a reply to ensure this issue has been addressed.

Sincerely,

[bearkat]

Fantastic!! The word "feelings" is a wonderful suggestion.

**and as a side note, for all those lazy teenagers who never show up for class because they are too lazy or are too hungover and who always hound you for your notes... PINK INK cannot be xeroxed. I took ALL of my notes in pink. I got tired of being the class note taker and carrying everyone.**

[Gefreiter]

mom,
I like the recommendations people have posted so far. You do have alot going for you since it's a public institution. I suggest your state representatives be made aware of the entire situation. Contact your state AND federal reps, for that matter, and be prepared to submit letters to them as well.

May I also recommend you post at:

http://www.NoIndoctrination.org/view.shtml

I work in higher ed now, and I assure you that $$ is the place to hit them. They have to pretend they care if you use words like "inclusiveness/exclusiveness", "Other", "marginalized", "discursive/discourse", "intimidation", et al. Liberal platitudes will get their attention, but $$ will get results. That attitude can also lead you into legal domains, esp concerning the 1st Amendment, but that's a mixed bag.

I'll add that I also went to college later in life: I started at 22, but had just come off 4 years in the Army and felt like an old man in those classes, even though I was only a couple years older than most of them.

Most faculty and administrators are candy-assed cowards and buckle like a belt when faced with determined opposition.

[lilylangtree]

I attended classes where the professors were far left liberals--one appeared to be a drawback from the 60s radicals since he wore long hair and sat cross-legged on top of his desk to teach. The way I dealt with it was that I armed myself with as much political information against the demoncRATS and go on the offensive. I always asked questions re the shenanigans the demoncRATS would pull. When one professor extolled the virtues of the Kennedys one time, I pointed that ole Joe Kennedy, the family patriarch, made his money bootlegging and pointed out his well-known H'weirdo affair with Gloria Swanson. He didn't like that at all and refused to believe ole Joe and his bootlegging past. Needless to say, I didn't do well in his class. With another prof, I pointed out that a Cabinet-level staffer had her disk drive re-cleaned so that info previously deleted was called up where the staffer had said some derogatory remarks about the Clinton Admin. Professor refused to believe that but it was reported in a blurb in the newspaper months previously. Didn't do the greatest in the class but wasn't at the bottom of the pile. Another prof was for gun control and the students had to do reports on gun control. I sent for info from the NRA to do my report. Prof pointed out that she disagreed wholeheartedly with my position but my report was good.

All I can say is "knowledge is power" and is the only way to fight ignorance.

[Drango]

I also attend a Community College and had a horrible experience with a "history" teacher.

My PE track teacher was a raving leftist. He would use the rest time between intervals to read us drivel comparing Bush to Hitler. In private, I finally told him it made me "feel" "uncomfortable" (LOL)and I didn't sign up for the class to hear it.

He stopped, but one day when I was absent, he told the whole class I was the token conservative and he couldn't read his political notes when I was there. Of coures everyone in the class told me what he said the next day:-)

[Old Professer]

First, shorten it, tighten it by using only examples with corroboration.

The whole letter should fit on one page, double-spaced.

Never use awkward constructs, "impactful?"

[FormerLib]

I would delete everything in the first paragraph beyond "subject to political propaganda each and every morning."

The moment you mention that you believe there's any liberal bias, the leftists will toss the letter in the trash. Keep your focus on the policy and his violations of it.

Consider contacting FIRE or David Horowitz at frontpagemag.com for advice BEFORE you send this. I'm sure they'll be glad to help.

Good luck!

[deport]

Good luck and a couple of comments/suggestions.....

Take a hard look at your lead paragraph and maybe delete the references to liberal, conservative, bigotry, ridicule, etc. A lot of those terms are subjective in definition and thus frames your entire letter as being a whiner or I didn't get what I wanted. You have a good case to present but present it without the accusations of political leanings but rather by contrast of not being fair and equal to the many opposing views expressed by the many different political advocates of the day, i.e.... Democrats, Republicans, Socialist, Communist, Constutionalist, Environmentalist, etc. If the contrast is there the Board will get the meaning and understand without the stereotyping being spelled out.

Just a suggestion and good luck in your endeavor.

[Alberta's Child]

Great letter, but I would say don't send it until you're ready to graduate. Priority #1 is to finish school, and deal with the B.S. afterwards.

In fact, the most effective thing for you to do would be to write the letter, date it, and sign it -- and then send copies of it back to them (with no money, of course) every time you receive solicitations for alumni contributions.

Your other option is to change majors, and switch to engineering. All the political nonsense in the world ain't gonna design a bridge to stand up for a hundred years.

[jcb8199]

Waaaaaiiiitttt a sec...

I thought Conservatives were the hate-mongering bigots?! What's all this nonsense about a Lefty being close-minded and hateful?!?

[rogueleader]

Add language that they understand. Mention that you were personally offended.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP - EDUCATION - PROFESSORIAL TYRANNY

[momfirst]

Thanks! I appreciate it - if I didn't want critical analysis, I wouldn't have posted on FR, LOL! That's the kind of feedback I need. If I'm going to do this, I need to do it right (no pun intended).

[momfirst]

Good point. That's actually what I was afraid of and needed some guidance. I'll need to map his actions specifically - that is my goal. Thanks!

[momfirst]

Super - I'll look into those contacts first.

[momfirst]

Great point. I know of at least one other that I have contact with - I will get with her and discuss this before I submit it as well.

[momfirst]

Thank you! Interesting to note is that I am at the college campus at this very moment using their computers before classes and strangely this link you gave me is "fobidden" on their computers....makes me even more curious what this link leads to! I'll check it from home....

[momfirst]

..Uh, that was "forbidden" - the campus is sucking the intellect out of me! LOL

[rwfromkansas]

Check to see what they are called.....I know it sure as heck isn't a school board.

[biblewonk]

I said all of what I said as a software engineer who didn't finish college. The percentage of things studied at a college which apply to engineering is about 20 percent, maybe. One of the most outstanding engineers where I work went to a 1 year tech school. He could engineer circles around people with any level of degree. I have another friend with a BS EE and an MS in Computer Engineering. This person didn't know how many bits were in a byte or what a compiler did. He was relegated to tech writing.

Even the medical profession could be achieved with a more efficient means of education.

Meanwhile we have build dens of iniquity and liberality who rule acadamia and pop thought. To diverge from their way of thinking is to be more than just labeled as odd but to be completely dicredited.

[Hodar]

While I do agree with your analysis, and your personal observations are confirmed on my end; college is more than just learning about a subject.

College is an endurance test, no one can force you to go throught it and put up with all the non-sense. Getting the degree demonstrates 2 things. First, you are capable of learning, and secondly you don't get frustrated and simply give up.

I'm an electrical engineer with ~20 years under my belt, and most of what I had to endure in college was a waste of time and energy. But, I endured it; I didn't quit. Now, when I hire for a new position; I'm more interested in a candidate who completed a school (and I don't consider students who got through based upon affirmative action - I want someone who can do things on their own). First off, I have confidence that the future employee won't walk off the job the first time things get rough. Secondly, I'm reasonably certain that the employee will learn anything he needs to learn; in order to get the job done. If that means learning Thermodynamics, manufacturing processes or Excel; he'll be there for me.

And lastly, if you need an expert RIGHT NOW, yes the 'SuperTech' will do it. But a fresh-out engineer will, within a year or two, match the SuperTech. Beyond that, I would expect the college grad to excel beyond where the 'SuperTech' is, as most of them peak at some point, and college grads tend (tend does not mean always) to peak much higher.