Posted on 06/14/2005 8:34:36 PM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
CHICAGO (AP) A former DePaul University instructor filed a defamation lawsuit Tuesday against the school, claiming officials maligned him publicly after he got in a heated argument with pro-Palestinian students at a campus activities fair.
Thomas Klocek, a 14-year part-time professor, has not worked at DePaul since the Sept. 15 incident involving students from two groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and United Muslims Moving Ahead.
Both Klocek and the students agree that a loud argument began after the instructor picked up a pro-Palestinian flier from one of the groups. The students complained to school authorities that Klocek identified himself as a professor, shouted and threw papers at them. Klocek says he never threw papers or shouted, and told the students he was an instructor only when asked.
DePaul officials asked Klocek to give up his fall teaching assignment with pay following the incident and set conditions for his return, including an apology to the students and monitoring of his classes. He refused.
The lawsuit alleges that school leaders defamed Klocek by characterizing his actions as racist and bigoted.
A DePaul spokeswoman had no comment Tuesday.
Klocek's lawsuit cites a letter Susanne Dumbleton, dean of DePaul's School for New Learning, wrote to the DePaulia student newspaper in October that said, in part, that no student should be ``verbally attacked for their religious belief or ethnicity.''
It also mentions another letter DePaul President Dennis Holtschneider wrote to newspapers that published a syndicated columnist's account of Klocek's case. That letter stated that Klocek acted in a ``belligerent and menacing manner'' toward the students.
Klocek also contends that DePaul officials breached their contract with him by not giving him a proper hearing, denied him academic freedom and improperly disclosed private information by referring publicly to medical issues they said affected his classroom performance.
DePaul officials have repeatedly said the case is not about free speech, but Klocek's conduct. They also have said they met with Klocek often about teaching options and offered him a chance to return, but he refused.
Klocek is seeking unspecified damages and his teaching job back.
The case has been followed closely on some conservative-leaning Web logs, which are calling it an example of liberal universities trying to suppress free speech.
On the Web:
Students for Justice in Palestine
Ping
If he'd had a heated argument with, say, campus Republicans, they'd be offering him immediate tenure.
Jan, your most welcome, DePaul's had plenty of time to set this straight.
I make it a point to send them a letter every year or so explaining why I never send them any money -- reasons that include their idiotic Leftist policies. I have never received a call or letter in reply, which really tells me something.
Keep passing the pipe while I perpetuate the myth of "massacres" at Jenin, and donate to the 'splodydopes so they may allocate more of their existing funds for weapons.
Forget the dead, injured and maimed victims of Paleostinian islamic aggression. After all, they're only "jooooos."
If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
Good for him.
Let's hope he'll win and be reinstated at DePaul. Thanks for posting it John.
Prof canned after Muslim debate sues-says DePaul characterized his words as bigoted against Islam
A professor engages students in vigorous debate on a controversial topic. The horror!!! Why didn't he think about the poor babies' self-esteem before he dared to challenge them on an idea?
Yep--good for Thomas Klocek. He've got nothing to apologize for ! It's DePaul that owes apology to him.
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