Time: Wed Jul 16 13:43:23 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id NAA24131 for [address in tool bar]; Wed, 16 Jul 1997 13:21:40 -0700 (MST) by usr07.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id NAA17706; Wed, 16 Jul 1997 13:09:06 -0700 (MST) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 13:08:42 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: No Academic Freedom for the Politically Incorrect (fwd) <snip> > > July 1997 Education Reporter > > No Academic Freedom for the Politically Incorrect > > > FRAMINGHAM, MA - The refusal of Framingham State > College to re-hire English Professor Eugene Narrett > has called attention to the double standard that > exists on many campuses regarding academic freedom > and First Amendment rights. > > Dr. Narrett taught full time from fall 1993 to summer > 1995, at which time he was asked to teach part time > as a Visiting Lecturer. During his employment at > Framingham State College, Dr. Narrett earned > outstanding teaching evaluations from peers and > English Department Chair Alan Feldman, who promised > Narrett first consideration when a full-time position > became available. > > Narrett learned of his termination when students > complained of not being able to find his name in the > fall 1997 course listings. Dr. Feldman had failed to > notify Dr. Narrett of his change of mind and, in > apparent violation of union rules, failed to inform > him in a direct and timely fashion of termination of > employment. > > For over two years, Dr. Narrett's colleagues have > vehemently opposed his views as expressed in his > newspaper columns that criticize abortion, divorce on > demand, quotas, homosexual advocacy, welfare, and > feminism. He has published more than 200 columns and > articles on culture and politics which draw on his > background in literature and history. Many of his > columns have appeared in the New York Times, the > Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, the > Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, and Human Events. > > Harassment began in March of 1995, said Narrett, when > English Professor Mary Murphy ordered him to "stop > writing columns criticizing feminism." Even after Dr. > Narrett filed a formal grievance claiming > interference with his "ability to work without > intimidation," the college took no corrective action. > Two years later, Murphy, a member of the state > executive board of the Teachers' Union, opposed > Narrett's contract renewal at a faculty meeting in > May 1997 because she found Narrett's writings > "offensive and not positive to women." > > In April 1995, slanderous leaflets about Narrett's > personal life were posted around campus. Neither the > administration nor faculty promptly condemned the > action. Anonymous notes from colleagues directed him > to write his columns "on toilet paper." The campus > Officer of Human Rights and Affirmative Action, Jack > Ling, knew of the problem, yet took no action. > > In response, Dr. Narrett requested a meeting to > discuss his First Amendment rights and the need for > reasoned debate. Before a large crowd of students, > faculty, and administrators Narrett spoke on how > leftwing ideology on issues of broad social concern > has dominated the college campus. Numerous students > spoke out, saying that Dr. Narrett is a considerate > and dedicated teacher who does not politicize his > classes and is concerned for all students. > > The following week, 20 faculty and administrators, > having invited Dr. Narrett to what was described as a > "discussion group," angrily condemned his views and > demanded that he "explain" his columns. When Narrett > tried to respond, he was told to "be quiet" so his > critics could have the floor to themselves. > > In a memo dated April 23, 1997, Dr. Helen Heineman, > provost and vice president of academic affairs, > informed faculty and staff of a newly instituted > "Quality Assurance Check of Publications." According > to the memo, College President Dr. Raymond Kieft > delegated to Heineman's office "the responsibility of > performing a final 'check' of all publications that > bear the name 'Framingham State College' or give the > impression that the activity, program, or service > being promoted or described is associated with > Framingham State College." The memo stated that > quality assurance was not a substitute for > proofreading, but it implied a focus on content to > determine its "quality." > > Bradford Wilson, executive director of the National > Association of Scholars, an organization devoted to > preserving academic freedom and the free exchange of > ideas, wrote in a letter to Heineman that "college > and university administrators have traditionally had > no authority to perform a 'quality assurance check' > of documents that faculty members produce. Academic > freedom, by its nature, requires that faculty be able > to write as they see fit without administrative > oversight." > > Dr. Joseph J. Previte, professor of biology, wrote in > a memo to college faculty that the loss of Narrett > "will diminish diversity on a campus whose > administration constantly espouses the necessity of > expressions of multicultural diversity. His > involuntary departure will be a clear sign of > intolerance to differing views on a campus whose > motto is 'Live to the truth.'" > > Framingham State College is a key campus for > implementing education policy in Massachusetts. It > played a role in President Clinton's decision to sign > his Goals 2000 Act into law at Framingham High School > in 1994. > >=========================================================================== >=== >We are seeking the names and addresses of all groups working for parents' >rights over curriculum in public schools, parental choice in school >curriculum, opt-out rights, the elimination of School-to-Work and >Outcome-Based Education, rejection of Goals 2000 and national standards, >the termination of federal funding and control over local schools, etc. >Please provide name of group, name of contact person, mailing address, >phone, fax, and E-Mail address. Thank you. > >You can address us at: >Eagle Forum, 7800 Bonhomme Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63105, >fax: 314-721-3373, E-Mail: eagle@eagleforum.org > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >- >----------------------- >Inside the June Education Reporter . . . > > * No Academic Freedom for the Politically Incorrect > * Tennessee Slows Down School-to-Work > * Suicide Courses Make a Comeback > * Education Briefs > * 'AMERICA READS' IS A BAD READ > * Book of the Month -- > American Dictionary of the English Language > * Michigan Model Of School-to-Work > > >found at: http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/1997/july97/er_jul97.html >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Eagle Forum http://www.eagleforum.org >PO Box 618 eagle@eagleforum.org >Alton, IL 62002 618-462-5415 >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To subscribe please e-mail us a message with > SUBSCRIBE in the subject line >------- >To subscribe to c-news, send the message SUBSCRIBE C-NEWS, or the message >UNSUBSCRIBE C-NEWS to unsubscribe, to majordomo@world.std.com. Contact >owner-c-news@world.std.com if you have questions. > > > ======================================================================== Paul Andrew Mitchell : Counselor at Law, federal witness B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine tel: (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night email: [address in tool bar] : using Eudora Pro 3.0.3 on 586 CPU website: http://www.supremelaw.com : visit the Supreme Law Library now ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice. We shall not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. ======================================================================== [This text formatted on-screen in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]
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