Professor Fired Over Va. Tech Discussion

[Gan]

BOSTON (AP) - An adjunct professor (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22adjunct+professor%22&sid=breitbart.com) was fired after leading a classroom discussion about the Virginia Tech shootings in which he pointed a marker at some students and said "pow."


The five-minute demonstration at Emmanuel College on Wednesday, two days after a student killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22Virginia+Tech+campus%22&sid=breitbart.com), included a discussion of gun control (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22gun+control%22&sid=breitbart.com), whether to respond to violence with violence, and the public's "celebration of victimhood," said the professor, Nicholas Winset.

During the demonstration, Winset pretended to shoot some students. Then one student pretended to shoot Winset to illustrate his point that the gunman might have been stopped had another student or faculty member been armed.

"A classroom is supposed to be a place for academic exploration," Winset, who taught financial accounting, told the Boston Herald (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22Boston+Herald%22&sid=breitbart.com).

He said administrators had asked the faculty to engage students on the issue. But on Friday, he got a letter saying he was fired and ordering him to stay off campus.

Winset, 37, argued that the Catholic liberal arts school was stifling free discussion by firing him, and he said the move would have a "chilling effect (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22chilling+effect%22&sid=breitbart.com)" on open debate. He posted an 18-minute video on the online site YouTube defending his action.

The college issued a statement saying: "Emmanuel College has clear standards of classroom and campus conduct, and does not in any way condone the use of discriminatory or obscene language."

Student Junny Lee, 19, told The Boston Globe (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22Boston+Globe%22&sid=breitbart.com) that most students didn't appear to find Winset's demonstration offensive.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OMADB80&show_article=1

_________________________________________________

I'm a firm believer in accountability for what is discussed in the classroom but this, from the story writer's perspective, seems a little overboard on part of the school's officials.

[xtc]

It sounds like he was engaging his students in a discussion about Virginia Tech that involved some role play. From the article I don't find anything irresponsible about his behaviour. I have always been a big advocate of free speech for Professors. This one doesn't even come close to warrant firing in my book. If the administration had a problem with his discussion they should have talked to him about it, firing seems drastic.

[Latrinsorm]

I'm curious as to what the "discriminatory or obscene language" was.

[Snapp]

He said administrators had asked the faculty to engage students on the issue.
Maybe they should have laid down some guidelines before encouraging the professors to talk to the students about it. Firing does seem a bit too harsh, if it was just a little roleplay.

[Xaerve]

mhmmm roleplay...

[Ilvane]

It's an interesting concept that talking about this kind of thing is bad. I mean, there are bound to be many discussions about what is going on in this world, and especially in colleges when something like this happens.

I disagree that he should have been fired, based on the information in the article.

Angela

[Stanley Burrell]

He should have been reprimanded, but in no way should that have condoned a firing (unless his record indicated he was skating on thin ice already.)

It's pretty amazing that many'o professor can run their mouth about Holocaust denial and get away with it Scott Free, but that this would be held so closely under the microscope is absolutely ridiculous; I mean, had he been an adjunct of a non-Humanitarian core, a reprimand would most certainly be expected, but to escalate the scale to such lengths because a man is a Realist in a profession encouraged to promote said Realism is absolutely absurd, imho.

[Ignot]

It makes me wonder if the proffesor did this a year from now if it would even be a big deal. This is ridiculous. I had something much better to say but my dog just pooped in the house and now i lost my train of thought...

[ElanthianSiren]

My outrage took backseat to noticing the severed hand in Ignot's avatar (something shiny!). Can't beat sneeze boobs though.

I don't feel that he should have been fired. It's college, not preschool.

[Skirmisher]

I am baffled how anyone ever got to the point of considering firing him for the actions described above.

[Gan]

This isnt the first time we've discussed responsibility and accountability from the perspective of college professors (see: global warming, political liberalism, 911 conspiracy theory, etc.); however, if the professor was not dictating a stance that was forced upon the students or was requiring agreement that affected a bias grade via participation then I dont think any action should have been taken against him.

It does beg the question why a financial accounting class would cover such a topic; however, at the same time, all instructors/professors were encouraged to bring up the topic and encourage discussion as a form of ... (therapy? social awareness?) something.

He did not debase anyone during the discussion (according to transcripts of the discussion in question) and he did not offend anyone's sensibilities other than the fact that it occurred so soon after the shooting.

It sounds like a witch hunt if you ask me.

[TheEschaton]

After 9/11, ALL our professors were encouraged to discuss it with our classes. I was a Computer Science major who took lots of theology/philosophy courses. My theology/philosophy profs knew how to approach the subject, and the discussions which took place were good, therapeutic, and healing.

My Comp sci teachers, who sit in front of computer screens all day and didn't really relate to human beings all that well, were disasterous facilitators about speaking about the subject. But luckily, comp sci majors, for the most part, who only took comp sci courses (and thus only subjected to them) also didn't really process 9/11 well anyways. It spoke to something more then hex and fastest path algorithms

-TheE-

[Tsa`ah]

[QUOTE]
The college issued a statement saying: "Emmanuel College has clear standards of classroom and campus conduct, and does not in any way condone the use of discriminatory or obscene language."
[QUOTE]

This tells me that either the college is using language as a reason for terminating him, or he's not being very honest about the rhetoric (barring context of course) used during his discussion.

That aside, accounting class or not ... the administration encouraged the discussion, he followed through on his end.

Likely it was to get students talking and make them aware of behavior they might otherwise over look or ignore, just as almost everyone involved with the VT shooter did at some point in his life.

[Latrinsorm]

Where'd you find a transcript, Ganalon?

[Gan]

Saw it on the news last night. Still looking for a printed copy.

[Gan]

Now there seems to be greater detail in the college's rebuttal to the professor's statements about what went on in the classroom.



Initially, the college, which has roughly 1,600 undergraduates, would not provide details surrounding the dismissal. But, in a 300-word statement provided by Emmanuel's spokeswoman yesterday, the college said Winset was dismissed because several witnesses reported that he had violated the college’s standards of conduct and civility. Winset disparaged “the victims as rich white kids combined with an obscene epithet,” according to the statement. “He did not do this as part of an open debate with his students.”

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/04/by_april_simpso.html

[Bobmuhthol]

Has there ever been a rich white kid that got offended by someone calling him a rich white kid?