Caught on Tape

FOXNEWS.com ^ | Thursday, November 29, 2001 | By Jonathan V. Last

[John_In_Houston]

Students lie to get a professor fired. Tapes prove they're lying, but does the administration care?

On September 18, political science professor Kenneth W. Hearlson was teaching his Introduction to Government class in front of his usual group of 200 students. The evening's topic was terrorism and how Middle Eastern states condone it. Discussion was heated, and the next day four Muslim students complained to OCC vice president Robert Dees that Hearlson had called them "terrorists," "Nazis," and "murderers." One of the students, Mooath Saidi, claimed that Hearlson pointed at him and said, "You drove two planes into the World Trade Center. You were the cause of what happened September 11."

[DoughtyOne]

I probably shouldn't say this, because it's not exactly justifiable. But there are times when I honestly think it would be a good idea to board up the doors of our complete education system for about 24 months. Then I'd start a private enterprise education system that was directly answerable to parents every step of the way. I'd do away with the tenure system and demand certain actions of the university professors if they were to expect one dime of public funds to pay their salaries. Socialists needn't apply.

The universities would be run by a rotating staff and a way would be devised to make sure socialists never return to power. Community leaders, church leaders and students would run the show. And professors would be a very small part of the adminstrative staff.

[Real Cynic No More]

I hope he sues the towels off those students - and the university administration!

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I probably shouldn't say this, because it's not exactly justifiable. But there are times when I honestly think it would be a good idea to board up the doors of our complete education system for about 24 months.

Don't be bashful. You are right. What we have is an indoctrination system not an education system.

Socialists control public education. Parents can and DO teach their children the fundamentals far better than schools. Look at the results of home schooling.

American public education is counterproductive and is turning out functional illiterates who will vote socialist (Democrat) because they don't know the truth.

[RadioAstronomer]

Bump for later read.

[tort_feasor]

In a Master's level class on European Security Issues in Belgium, when the topics of Nuclear Weapons came up, I made the point that History demonstrates that nuclear powers use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear powers. The class exploded with exasperation and mumbling. At a break anpther American stuident came up to me and said that I was insensitive to the Japanese students in class.(BTW The professor thought I was correct in my analysis)

[PJ-Comix]

In yesterday's Orange County Register, school president Margaret Gratton said she still had neither heard the tapes nor read the transcript.

"PLEASE! PLEASE! Don't embarrass me with the FACTS! I am ignorant of the FACTS and I intend to stay ignorant of the FACTS!"

[mombonn]

Only after punishing Hearlson did the administration decide to investigate the charges against him.

"If some of the allegations I made were not maybe right, if my memory was shady, this is not the first time anybody has brought anything against this teacher. . . . [Hearlson] has a history, and he obviously hasn't learned and needs to be taught a lesson."

Only when students brought their tapes to Hearlson--and Hearlson passed them on to his lawyer--did some members of the administration take note of them.

I HOPE this guy sues them all - the students, and the administration! How disgusting.

[Bikers4Bush]

Send those students packing. They lied and they know they lied, are these the types of kids that deserve a shot at a college education?

I say no. Kick them out and replace them with some kids with integrity.

[AppyPappy]

The facts are not as important as the seriousness of the charges.

[DKM]

Lead story in OCC student paper (pdf)

Partial transcript of lecture from OCC student paper (pdf)

[aabbccddeeff]

DEPORT THE STUDENTS WHO LIED!!

At least report them to INS since
moral turpitude is grounds to
deny admission to the United States.

Do the board of trustee members of this university
know what liability exposure these idiot administrators
have created?

[Fiddlstix]

I hope he sues the towels off those students - and the university administration!

Ditto

[Dante3]

I never heard of Orange Coast College. The school might be trying to get publicity, believing in the statement: "All publicity is good publicity."

The word should go out: "Don't send your children there."

[logos]

If I were Education Potentate (since your sensible suggestions will never be implemented, more's the pity) I would require that every professor - every professor - leave the classroom at the end of each five-year period of teaching, and work at a job in his/her discipline for a minimum of two years before returning to the classroom. That might not eliminate entirely the "ivory tower" syndrome, but I suspect it would tarnish it up a bit.

I do like your suggestions; however, common sense has no place in academia. :-/

[mlocher]

thanks for the post.

professors fired for mediating a debate for learning group purposes
santa clause cannot be part of christmas
people are not allowed to smoke in their own homes
cities passing resolutions condemning federal government security measures?

what are we coming top?

you know, berekely is a mere earthquake away from orange county? is it the state? the water? the power?

[Harp]

"sue his ass until he is fired - crap like that should not be in schools - it should be neutral."

Neutral to what -- the lies of the accusing students or the innocent teacher?

[daler]

My guess is that he'll still be fired.

Not because he said/did anything wrong, but because the complaining students were "offended."

That's all that matters in America today.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I believe the saying is "Bad attention is better than no attention"