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| Fifth Column | |
| Professor offers students extra credit for burning U.S. flag or Constitution... | |
| 2007-11-04 | |
| ORONO, Maine - A University of Maine student alleges her former professor offered extra credit to class members if they burned the American flag or the U.S. Constitution or were arrested defending free speech. On the first day of class, associate professor Paul Grosswiler offered the credit to members of his History of Mass Communications class, according to sophomore Rebekah McDade. Disturbed by the comment, McDade dropped the class and intends to take the course again next semester with a different professor. "I was offended," McDade said Friday. "I come from a family of military men and women, and the flag and Constitution are really important symbols to me because of my family background." In an e-mail responding to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News on Friday, Grosswiler said he thought McDade misunderstood the class discussion, which was intended to elicit thought about the First Amendment. He said he has held this same discussion for years without incident. Burn Burn Burn, someone finally listened? "I donÂ’t intend for students to burn either the Constitution or the flag, and over the years hundreds of students have understood that," Grosswiler wrote. No "I didn't say that" comment
A field representative for the institute met McDade on Oct. 1 at UM, when she shared her experience and expressed an interest in spearheading a group "Students for Academic Freedom," Blackwell said Friday. The groupÂ’s initial goal would be to convince UM to enact a "Student Bill of Rights," as other colleges have, which would protect students from professors who treat and grade students differently based on religious or political beliefs, McDade said. The institute has assisted McDade in the startup process, she said. Bout time When Grosswiler listed the extra-credit opportunities, McDade said the class of approximately 50 students grew very quiet, and some questioned whether he was serious. Tar and feathers? "I applaud the studentÂ’s exercise of free expression. If she had stayed in the class, I would have given her extra credit for publicizing her opinions." Right | |
| Posted by:Icerigger |
| #4 how about the free expression of hanging a noose on his door to express discontent with his teaching practices? Does that bring extra credit too? |
| Posted by: Unutle McGurque8861 2007-11-04 16:53 |
| #3 How much credit can a student get for torching or corrupting the faculty personnel and pay records/database as a 'free expression' exercise? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-11-04 09:02 |
| #2 Paul Grosswiler, author of the book "The Method is the Message," a study on the re-thinking of McLuhan. Sounds to me like he gets it. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-11-04 01:04 |
| #1 ...I would have given her extra |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-11-04 01:08 |