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Prof banished from class after GOP slurs

September 23, 2013

profRepublicans are “dead or dying white people” who have “raped this country,” a Michigan State University professor told his students — just before being relieved of his teaching duties by university officials. (The Blaze)

The comments from Professor William Penn were featured in a YouTube video uploaded by a conservative collegiate news outlet called Campus Reform.

Penn, in the university’s creative writing program, is a recipient of a distinguished faculty award.  He said in the video about the GOP, “They are cheap. They don’t want to pay taxes because they have already raped this country and gotten everything out of it they possibly could. They don’t want to pay for your tuition, because who are you?”

Two days later, university officials said Penn’s “teaching duties have been reassigned to others.” He did not get fired, they said.

“Michigan State University is committed to creating a learning environment that is characterized by mutual respect and civility where diverse ideas can be explored,” university spokesman Kent Cassella said in a statement.


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We need more “Campus Reform” in every university in this country. Liberal & conservative rants should not be tolerated in the classroom….ever!!!


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If it was high school I’d agree. In college you’re there to be challenged, and to face opinions, theories, as well as dogma. You’re likely to be of age to vote, drive a car, be married, as well as serve in the military. All require judgement.


We’re not better off by having a bunch of 18 year-old children unable to think.


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There are two problems. First while it’s certainly OK for one to hold such beliefs (he’s clearly an ultra lefty) and one could argue that it’s permissible for an instructor to voice such beliefs in a proper manner. However it’s not OK to voice them in such an inflammatory manner. That’s terribly bad form no matter who you are.


Second, voicing such beliefs in such an inappropriate manner creates a climate where students are afraid to retort because their grades are on the line. It’s not too difficult to understand how this specific person would react if he were challenged, given his already public comments.


Debate is good. It’s very good. Crude proclamations are embarrassing and potentially harmful.


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In short, the “professor” completely lacked any professionalism. He was hired to be a professional, and he was not. That’s all there is to this.


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Michigan? Isn’t that where the failed city of Detroit is? Wonder who ran that city?


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Mitt Romneys dad


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Ah another wanna be, shoot from the hip history buff. George Romney was the Governor of Michigan. Big difference between Governor of the state and Mayor of the city. Wanna try again??


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Surprised that this apparently unapproved recording in the college class did not violate University rules. Attending a college in So. Cal. in the ’70s I had a ‘well known’ right-wing college professor. He began each class by angrily reminding we students that no recordings of his lectures were permitted and that we could face ‘criminal charges’ for doing so.


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Remember, this was for an ENGLISH class. Not some Poly Sci (why try) class.


If you were paying someone to fix your car or serve your lunch – or bought pricey tickets to a concert / play, and they just started going off on ANY tangent like this guy did, what would you do?


At what point will someone get this person (and other “oddities” in academia) the serious mental health that they need? This thing was borderline breakdown, I mean that’s a class of new students, ergo, strangers…


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I don’t know. What did you do when you bought that Ted Nugent ticket?


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Exactly my point! Thank you for that.


(although I did not buy a ticket nor go to the show); if I go to see a concert, I want to hear music, not opinions. Even “Uncle Ted’s” (which I often agree with). I’ll sit and listen to him OpEd in other mediums, but not at his concerts.


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Federal law (ADA) requires resonable accommodations for Turrets too. His deffense?


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Tourette’s?


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Professor Penn was absolutely correct in his assessment of the GOP. Unfortunately, he didn’t have an equal rant about the Democratic Party, filled mostly with minorities and assorted unions. They’re both dirty as can be. I guess there could be worse…Ted Cruz, the Tea Party rectal pore, would be the first example of a mindless Tea Party fool. Toss all of ’em I say…


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You need more wine so you can continue your whininess


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Universities are suppose to be institutions that allow the free thought process, so it can be challenged and force students to think and analyze. Political Correctness has gone too far. (Cal Poly is a good example of PC gone overboard.)


As Voltaire said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”


Some people only believe in freedom of speech and thought if it reflects their thinking.


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True….. but a ‘creative writing class’ is not a philosophy class, debate class, or history class. If I paid money to learn how to write better, I’d be pissed if my teacher pushed his political agenda on me regardless of the topic. I don’t believe it was an ‘appropriate’ venue in this particular case.


BTW- Gonna be tough to “defend your right to freedom of speach” especially when California is leaving us nothing to defend ourselves with. Mock me now but history says otherwise.


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You should take that class


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“Some people only believe in freedom of speech and thought if it reflects their thinking.”


Did it say in the article that this guy prevented somebody else from exercising their right to free speech? I must have missed that.


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If a student had spoken up in contrast to the professor’s stand, Do you really think that student would receive a fair grade at the end of the class? I think it would be difficult for you to honestly think so.


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When I went to Cal Poly I regularly challenged my professors in class (respectfully, of course). I graduated with honors. Even ideologues often have respect for someone who has an informed opinion and is willing to speak up, as opposed to sitting there like a lump.


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You are obviously not a conservative, that philosophy only works with liberal professors and liberal challenges.


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And you didn’t go to college


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Cal Poly school of business 1973-1976


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Poly was (and pretty much is) highly conservative in the early 1970’s.


Had this guy said this at Poly, he would have paid dearly for it.


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Freedom of speech is a lot like money. Some people have a lot more if it than others.


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And still gettin’ in trouble for tellin’ the truth…


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Who would have ever thought that the IPhone would be the very tool that cleans out the aging hippies from our schools…


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if the pen is mightier then the sword the cell phone camera is power condensed.


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