Posted on 05/08/2002 1:11:25 PM PDT by NativeNewYorker
KIRTLAND, Ohio -- What if a class assignment forced you to choose between getting a passing grade or following your moral values?
NewsChannel5's Kareen Wynter reported that one student decided to fight it, but it almost cost him the school year.
Many students dream of graduating school with high honors, but this student said that he has little to look forward to in his final weeks.
"It's a moral issue I have," he said. "I pay tuition to come to this school. I shouldn't have to defend my moral issues."
A class project in criminal justice turned sour for the college senior, who we'll call Ian.
The assignment was to wear a pink triangle around school for the day as a symbol of gay rights and then write about the experience. Ian confronted his teacher.
"I asked 'What if a student were to feel uncomfortable with this -- would there be an alternate assignment?'" he said. "She said no."
He, in turn, got an F and faced expulsion.
So why wasn't the student offered a backup assignment? Lakeland administrators said that it is part of classroom policy.
"I think if the situation were easy, it wouldn't have been part of the curriculum," said Barbara Grano of Lakeland.
Still, faculty members said that they didn't break the rules.
"Absolutely, this student had an option," she said.
When NewsChannel5 spoke with Ian later in the day, his teacher had given him an apology note that read, in part, that the requirement was waived.
Ian said that he doesn't think things would have been resolved had NewsChannel5 not gotten involved.
"I appreciate everything you've done," he said.
His mother was happy, too.
"I was thrilled," she said. "Here's a young man who stood up for himself, and it worked."
Professors at Lakeland said that there's a list of things you can and can't challenge in the school's handbook.
'Irregardless' is in my Webster's, but is considered non-standard usage of 'regardless.'
If these students were coerced to wear a cross or a Star if David, you can bet the ACLU would be all over it like stink on you-know-what!
backoff = back off
your = you're
I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist! No offense intended....
no offense intended either..:-)
The report could (truthfully) have stated that no one noticed or reacted in any way.
That being said, I think it would be nice for the teacher to experience discrimination. Say, by wearing a nice Star of David...into a mosque...in Saudi Arabia...during the Haj...(Grin)
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This guy shouldn't be at this school if he doesn't want to get challenged. To me, part of the joy of college was seeing sides of life from different perspectives. I guess some can make the argument that such methods of educating are bad, but I have to disagree based on experience.
College should be a place for true learning and not for Mickey Mouse experiences. Also if you keep your mind too open you will get a lot of crap getting into it.
BUMPS
Was he taking a course that is a requirement to go to work for the ACLU? Or was this just some professor trying to push his homo agenda?
Umm, that should be "her".
If that were true, he could simply have been given an assignment to walk around for two days wearing a "choose life" button. (in order to experience discrimination)
Nice one.
...I'll donate a "Respect Life" bumper sticker for your car for YOU to display your "mandatory-respect-for-diversity-except-for-Christians" lifestyle at that campus.
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