Posted on 11/10/2004 8:49:24 AM PST by Doomonyou
SRJC teacher found dead
Instructor's 'kill the president' e-mail assignment controversial
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
By PAUL PAYNE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Michael H. Ballou, a Santa Rosa Junior College instructor questioned last year by the Secret Service over a controversial assignment involving President Bush, has died, the Sonoma County coroner said Tuesday.
The 49-year-old political science instructor died Saturday at his Guerneville home where he lived alone, Sheriff's Sgt. Will Wallman said.
The cause of his death is under investigation, but detectives have ruled out homicide, Wallman said. "There's nothing to say he died at the hands of another, but, otherwise, the book is wide open."
He said an autopsy has been conducted and authorities await the results of toxicology and microscopic tissue tests.
A neighbor discovered the body.
Ballou, who also spelled his name Ballow, was a part-time teacher at the junior college's Petaluma campus and had been on the faculty since 1990.
Ballou was born in Ogden, Utah. He had a master's degree from Brigham Young University and a bachelor's degree from Weber State College, an SRJC spokeswoman said.
He became embroiled in controversy in the summer of 2003 when he assigned students to compose an e-mail with the words "kill the president" in the body of the text.
Ballou said he was trying to demonstrate to students' fear of government and the "growing police state."
Although he said students were instructed not to send the message, one e-mailed it to the Washington office of Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena. Within days, Secret Service agents arrived to question Ballou .
Ballou defended his lesson, saying he meant no harm to the president. In a newspaper column, Ballou said the response proved his point.
Students supported him, saying it was a valuable experience. But faculty, administrators and parents weren't impressed. Robert Agrella, the college president, said he was "ashamed and embarrassed," and fellow teachers wrote letters to the editor, calling the assignment irresponsible. However, administrators stopped short of disciplinary action.
"He was a pretty controversial guy," Agrella said Tuesday.
Actually, you did just post those words, so wait for the door bell to ring....
Someone named Sideways (1000+ posts):
No F**king Way Mike Was My Poli-Sci Prof At SRJC He was also a friend and a strong gay activist. I can't f**king believe this I'm sobbing right now. F**k.
Seems like the "disease ridden" theory explaining his demise may be correct, as you suggested steplock. Either that, or the depression theory that you suggested tallhappy.
I have yet to meet one homosexual that's completely healthy, mentally and physically. And I have yet to meet anyone who's a "gay activist" that's not also homosexual.
If the police have not yet found out the reason for his death, they should check the body closely for stupidity. I'm betting that's what killed him.
yep.
Stress from hate is not good fer yer ticker, this idiot killed himself.......Phucm !
That being said.....:o)
**A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8
year- olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader
and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think**
**"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and
paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the
time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca - age
8**
**When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age
4**
**"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving
cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5**
**"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your
French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy -
age 6**
**"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4**
**"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a
sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny -
age 7**
**"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of
kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy
and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily -
age 8**
**"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop
opening presents and listen," Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)**
**"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a
friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6**
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everyday." Noelle - age 7**
**"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are
still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age
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looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore," Cindy - age 8**
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kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6**
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Elaine-age 5**
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alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4**
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**How do you know love when you see it?**
Stay safe ya'll........
Maybe he offed himself because he couldn't stand it that the Republicans won big in the elections.
Halliburton has to be involved somehow.
Suicide. Like this guy who shot himself near ground zero. The liberals are to blame. They've programmed these guys to self destruct if the Republicans win.
Reeping what you sow?
_________________________________
"Exactly what did he "sow"? An ill advised but ultimately harmless lesson that showed students that they are not moving through the world unobserved? In your book that warrants death? Unbelievable".
So words are 'harmless' and publicly inciting hatred and the killing of our President is something to 'observe'? What did he sow? A wish for the killing of another human, sir. There should be no consequence for this 'talk'? Got news for ya- karma is a higher law than your notions of what is inconsequential. Obviously Mr. Loser from Santa Rosa followed his own crappy advice and checked out. Serves his @ss right
I guess the election results just pushed him over the edge.
Amazing, huh?
IMO, anyone who spells one's last name more than one way is a weirdo.
I don't know, this smells more like a Janet Reno hit to me.
"...Maybe he's only arafatdead, and he'll show up for work tomorrow..."
"He's not dead, he's only mostly dead!"
(Miracle Max (Billy Crystal), Princess Bride)
Anyone who has ever been to the Santa Rosa/Petaluma area knows that area is full of "people" like this professor.
I don't wish bad things on people - normally.
Normally.
Glad to see ya around here again.........Hope all is weel for you and yours !
Stay safe TC !
Weel=Well......doom on me !
Suicide coward.
No, Doom on You!
Oh, s**t, did I forget to turn on whisper mode and the chameleon skin?
Oopsie.
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