I'm having a dispute with a professor in my department

[catbyte]

He's tacked a really lame poster called "Obamonopoly" on his door and I took offense. It's, naturally, a take-off on a Monopoly board with a HILARIOUS Community Chest card entitled Race Card Get Off Scot Free... and it, of course, has a Black caricature flying out of a bird cage jail. The whole thing is just one big Teabagging Talking Point after another. It's disgusting. He e-mailed it to one of my peers, and she wrote back asking him not to send her anything like that again because it was offensive and not funny. He wrote her back arguing that it wasn't offensive. WRONG. He didn't send it to me because he knows I don't lean that way. Anyway, I slapped a Post-it on it this morning saying "This is offensive." If it's not gone by the time he leaves this afternoon I'm going to tell him to take it down. We're a state-supported school and this kind bias is unacceptable. This division is teeming with Republicans, and this guy's an MD. I can accept him hanging an autographed picture of W & Pickles in his office (although I did let out an involuntary gasp of horror and revulsion when I first saw it.)

He's been ragging loudly about how horrible the health care bill is, and how we're on the road to "Socialism." What really gets me is this is a smart guy (well, not too smart--his contract was not renewed past next year.) You'd think he'd welcome the bill. He's not that great of a doctor (3 malpractice suits before coming here to teach), so he'll be looking for a new job in 2011. If he doesn't find one, he'll have a hell of a time finding health insurance. His wife has had 3 brain surgeries (non-cancerous)--good luck finding insurance with a pre-existing condition like that!

Bottom line: did I overreact? :shrug:

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

[gratuitous]

1. He offered his point of view, you offered yours

If all you did was the Post-it, it doesn't damage or affect his poster, so I think you're okay (extra points if you initialed it or otherwise left your name). It would be wrong, of course, to damage his property no matter how offensive you found it. Now you each know how the other feels, although you might want to follow up with your opinion that he doesn't get to decide what offends you; that's solely up to you.

[catbyte]

2. I just Post-it-ed it and initialed it, no damage.

[paulsby]

40. iirc there is already case law on this

discussed at either scotusblog or volokh.com ...

in brief, if it's a public university or otherwise covered by free speech clause, the university can't "touch em" so to speak.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Does the university have an HR department and faculty guidelines of behavior? Report him, if it's

not removed.

[grantcart]

4. In my opinion you underreacted

Please take a photo of it and send it to the President of the University.


A few years ago I went to a school that lives in an area that was subdivided around Civil War themes os that the streets were neamed Gettysburg and Shiloh etc.

My daughter's gradeschool had a very nice mural that included in the gym that included pictures of soldiers, Grant, Lee and flags of both sides.

I asked the Principal to look at the mural and asked her if she saw anything wrong with it. She said no and I said "You know the confederate flag was a flag that united people around ripping up the constitution and maintaining slavery, don't you feel bad when you see it?"

She replied honestly that no she didn't see that as a problem. I then asked her to pretend that she was an 8-9 year old African American and new that the flag supported slavery how do you think that little child would feel about it.

Next year I came back and the flag had been painted out.

How would an African American student feel seeing what you saw?

[MineralMan]

5. Private or public college? And what department is it?

It's an important distinction.

In either case, I'd write a letter to the department head and the dean of that school. I'd send the same letter to the president of the college. You'll have to sign this, since anonymous complaints are discarded.

You should know that if you don't succeed in your effort, you may face some repercussions, especially if this is a private school. If it is a public, tax-supported college, you will succeed, but may not profit from it in the long run.

It's your decision whether or not to press the case, but if you do, you must own it and commit your name to it.

[catbyte]

11. Public university

College of Health Professions

[MineralMan]

23. OK, then. Whatever you do, do it formally. Letters printed on paper

sent to the various persons via USPS. Send a copy to yourself on the same day, but don't open it.

Explain your case dispassionately, with references to a toxic work environment and the effect on minority students who might be intimidated with such a blatant prejudice expressed in such a public way. Note where the copies of the letter go under your signature line, so that everyone knows who is reading the letter.

Copy the professor, too, with his own copy of the letter.

I can pretty much guarantee that the thing will come off the door. Your relationship with this professor, however, will certainly deteriorate dramatically once you do that. It's not fair, but it is a fact.

I don't know if you're a student or a staff person, but the effect will not be pleasant, I assure you.

If you are determined to do this, though, you will succeed in having the offending material removed. The rest is less certain. Good luck.

[paulsby]

41. iirc case law is established on this

i think it was either scotusblog.com or volokh.com

in brief, iirc, at a public universityt, the prof's door is his public forum. university can't make it come down

a similar case involved a student and their dorm room window (facing outside the building). college made the kid take down a flag in his window, said it was offensive, kid appealed and the courts ruled the school couldn't tell him what message to put in his window or take down.

[Maru Kitteh]

61. If the University has a policy against blatant fuckwit racism

I expect he'll be made to take it down. Employers are entitled to make all kinds of rules about employee behavior.

[wolfgangmo]

50. I have another solution.

Contact the student paper (as well as your local fishwrap) and let them know that there is a rascist professor working in the building. Give them all the info that they need to write the story in an unsigned letter.

Forward a copy of the story idea to the local chapter of the black student union and any minority frats/sororities and let them raise the stink for you. Use the 5th estate.

[blogslut]

6. That is unacceptible

The man's racist decoration should be reported to the authorities. He is creating a hostile work environment and you don't have to put up with it.

[eleny]

7. So he doesn't recognize his working at a "state-supported school" as hypocritical

:eyes:

[salguine]

8. I hate these posts where the poster encounters someone who exhibits beliefs they

don't agree with, they take grievous offense that this person expresses their disagreeable views, and then when said individual refuses to shut up or take down some placard or other, the poster then makes it their personal mission to somehow punish them. It's every bit as fascistic as it is when it's done by them to us.

[eleny]

12. But it's more than just innocent sharing of views

The teacher is sending email. And when the receiver asks that they discontinue sending such, the teacher proceeds to argue the point. It's disrespectful to persist when one is asked to cut it out.

And the OP pointed out that the school is a state sponsored university. If someone can put up a poster, then another person ought to be able to comment on it. Seems to me that the teacher is asking for comment by tacking his poster on the door to his office. Sure appears to be an invitation sort of like when someone here has a sig line.

Anyhow, that's how the situation looks to me.

[catbyte]

19. I disagree, Salguine

This is on the door in a public school, put there by a person of power and authority over students. I think ANY political expression like this is inappropriate. I would have objected to some of the things I've seen about Republicans. It has no place on a Professor's door.

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

edited to include poster's name

[paulsby]

42. iirc, the case law says that his OFFICE door is HIS forum

and he can post what he wants. i will try to find the case if i can

it was at least months if not years ago that we were discussing it

as long as it's a public univ. or otherwise subject to free speech clause

[The Second Stone]

9. Working for a state university makes him a socialist

doesn't he know that?

[Dr.Phool]

10. Here it is. Really stupid.

[aikoaiko]

13. Before I answer your question, is this the poster?

[catbyte]

15. That's the one

[aikoaiko]

18. Ok, then I think you are overreacting.

Quick response:

That is a political cartoon of sorts and typically such things are common on professors doors.

The racial caricature is not really a racial caricature IMHO. Its merely a brown colored version of the existing monopoly card.

I don't like it because its not true, but truth is not required of political cartoons.

I encourage you to challenge on the truth of the message of the cartoon, but I don't think its a harassing image.


eta: Another poster reminded me that sending it out via email to specific students is not a good thing, but if I understood correctly, you didn't receive it via email so thats not your issue.

[emulatorloo]

45. What about the "RACE CARD"? that seems pretty damned questionable.

[aikoaiko]

67. I agree it is questionable but perhaps in a different way.

Is it possible for someone of a minority race to use his or her race strategically in the political arena (i.e., playing the race card)? Sure. There are a few people of every race who will do questionable things like that.

Does Obama do it? No.

Has that been a consistent meme from the right-wingers since the Iowa caucus? Most definitely.

Maybe the creator of the image is racist. Maybe the professor is racist.

But this image is political satire for sure.

I support the student questioning the professor on his political display, but I do not support effort to demand him to take it down or use the administration to intercede.

[Hansel]

74. You cannot use the defense that this is political satire

to justify posting a racist poster in a public institution. It just doesn't work that way. The poster is offensive and is meant to demean blacks.

The poster demeans Blacks in so many ways it's hard to tell where to begin. The poster is racist and that it all that counts as far as whether or not the professor has the right to post it. He does not.

[aikoaiko]

78. I disagree . I appears to demean a single public official.

in many ways. The race card is but one of many consistent right-wing target points.

[Hansel]

68. Sorry but this is a violation of the EEOC and Civil Rights laws

The poster is racist and should be taken down immediately. The law is very clear on that point. This is a State institution and therefore required to follow these laws.

It does not matter that it is a cartoon. The intent is clear. To demean a man for his accomplishments just because he happens to be Black. It does not matter that he is the President or that this is a "political cartoon". The practical effect is to demean every Black student in the school and their value and accomplishments.

I spent enough years in Human Resources to know that this is a violation of the law, or at the very least the spirit of the law. The poster should be taken down and the professor should be confronted by his supervisor. This would make great evidence if there are any Black students who feel that he is harassing them.

The law is quite clear on this point so no, this person is not over-reacting. I think it's time for a this professor to take a nice long course on sensitivity training.

[aikoaiko]

75. You're entitled to your opinion, but the rules are a little different at universities.

I'm not HR, but I work with university HR. The standards are a bit different at universities because it is part of the professors job to "challenge" members of the university community to think about a broad range of topics.

In the 1990s you could get away with what you described, but the standard for harassment has swung back a little.

I disagree that the intent is clear. The image makes references to many things not related to race (all right-wing talking points) and it is specifically targeted at a political entity.

Put it in another context. Would the professor be able to say to someone in the hallway, "I think President Obama and his supporters play the race card by calling all his critics racist"?

I think yes because that is reasonable political discourse. If he could say that, then the image is fine, too.

[Gruenemann]

17. Tell Parker Brothers

They take a VERY dim view of anyone publishing anything remotely resembling the Monopoly board. I had a run-in with them when I was a college yearbook editor and wanted to include a "college game" that looked like a Monopoly board.

[anigbrowl]

22. No point - parody is not considered an infringement on copyright

People pay for a yearbook, so including a similar kind of game there is arguably commercial activity (although you would probably win such a case if they dragged you to court, assuming your use was humorous).

[paulsby]

43. correct, just like the larry flynt case

where he lampooned (falwell iirc) VIA a fake campari adverstisement

[The Wielding Truth]

72. It's offensive to me.

[aikoaiko]

76. Why is it offensive to you?

[The Wielding Truth]

80. Why is it not offensive to everyone? It's racist and full of lies.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

14. Complain to the administration on racism grounds.

[Posteritatis]

16. I consider office doors sacrosanct, but the proselytizing it through email's over the line

As well as lugging politics into class (assuming it isn't something like a current-events polisci course where, to a point, that sort of thing could be expected). I'd get on his case for those for certain, anyway.

[aikoaiko]

28. I agree, I forgot that part.

[tishaLA]

54. I agree 100%

Well, I guess not 100%. If he's talking about health care and this is a professor of public health, he's allowed to have an opinion about it and express it in class.

[Posteritatis]

55. Fair enough; basically, situations where it's definitely on topic. (nt)

[southernyankeebelle]

20. No you didn't. If it offense you and some others than it should come down and I

wouldn't agree putting something like that offense if it were a republican either. Sometimes the smarter they are doesn't matter. You can't reason with stupid.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

21. Sounds like the makings of a hostile work environment.

No, you're not overreacting.

[anigbrowl]

24. I'd say this belongs inside his office rather than outside.

Rather than arguing over whether it's offensive or not, just point out that time spent on political advocacy is time not spent on work - don't get drawn into an argument about policy.

[mcollins]

25. You should report him to the Dean.

If he has used school equipment to sned out political and private e-mails he is wrong.

[Berry Cool]

26. This is racist.

The "Get Out of Jail Free" "Race Card" with the man's face in brown makes it so. It doesn't have to be a "caricature." There is an implication that the professor believes that President Obama believes that people of color should be able to "get out of jail free" by "playing the race card." That is racist--every bit as much as if he had a picture on his door of the cartoon of the White House lawn covered with growing watermelons.

I would report it to whoever at your public university is in charge of diversity issues.

Your professor has a right to hold a political opinion of his choosing. It's the racist part of it that's the issue.

[jberryhill]

37. More Scot-bashing... "Scot Free"

[slackmaster]

59. Aye! That's my reaction as well.

[emulatorloo]

46. Agreed. n/t

[Xithras]

27. Academic Freedom can be an unfortunate thing, sometimes.

But I always stand on the side of the professor in these cases. He has a right to hold whatever views he wants, and as an educator, espousing those views is part of the job. Even in state supported schools.

I voice my political opinions all the time in my classroom, as does nearly every other instructor I know. If they fired everyone who did, the students would have nobody to teach them. And I will not shut up just to make them happy.

If he's non-tenure, the universities only involvement should be in determining whether or not his contract should be renewed when it's up.

[Hissyspit]

52. Agreed.

[Hansel]

69. He can hold whatever view he wants but he is not allowed

to demean a protected class of people to do so. This is not a political poster. It is a racist poster and he is not allowed to post it in a State institution. Period.

[BurtWorm]

29. Just goes to demonstrate that you can't educate the ignorance out of ignoramuses.

[walldude]

30. If it had said "Bushopoly" and done the same thing with Bush

would you have laughed and agreed or thought it was offensive?

I find nothing racist on that poster, it just looks like a Republicans idea of political humor. Which is to say lame and not funny, but certainly not offensive.

[catbyte]

31. I guess I see it differently than you

I didn't like the "getting away with murder" line and the race card. Too inflammatory.

As I said in my earlier comment, I would have thought anything against Republicans would inappropriate, too, on that door.

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

(edited for signature)

[Hello_Kitty]

32. You don't see anything wrong with "Race Card Get Off Free"? eom

[catbyte]

33. Yeah, actually I added that on edit, too!

[Posteritatis]

34. I drew the line at emailing students to push political views, myself. (nt)

[zbdent]

35. Take a picture of it, and print out multiple copies

and tack them around the campus and nearby town ...

and make sure you note on the copies whose door it is ...

[harun]

36. Under-reacted.

People shouldn't be doing stuff like that where they work. They can do it all they want outside of work. No one in my office would put up posters on one side or the other. It alienates people and causes conflict. There is enough conflict as-is in just trying to get the job done. Don't need to conjure more.

[paulsby]

44. professors at public univerrsities on/in their office

(which is essentially a place for them to use as a forum) is a far different thing than the average workplace.

again, i'll try to find the case

[emulatorloo]

49. So do you beleive the law will say it is ok to race bait on an office door?

Because the Race Card is pretty bad

ON EDIT -- no doubt the law would support that, but university admin should now tolerate racism.

[paulsby]

51. iirc, case law says whether or not it's "race baiting"

the university can't touch him.

if a prof quoted susan sontag on their door, who said the white race was the cancer of history, that would be 'race baiting' too, but still beyond the university's span of control to censor.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hansel]

70. Mr. Freedom of speech needs to read up on his Civil Rights and EEOC laws

There is no freedom of speech for a person of authority to demean an entire protected class in a state institution or at almost ANY work environment.

[aikoaiko]

79. I'm not so sure the reasonable person standard would see this image as an attack on all persons...

...of color.

It appears targeted to one individual -- a public official.

[harun]

82. Well if he wants drama, he'll get it.

[HughMoran]

38. Glad his contract is expiring.

I'd rip his head clean off and hand it to him - I'd probably create such a stink that they'd have to fire him sooner than later - but that's just me. I'm glad I never had a right-wing professor back when I was in school.

[yellerpup]

39. I don't see any overreaction in what you did.

I temped in an office in NC that had huggy photos with GWB and the owner and thank you letters for big donations posted all around. I didn't say anything and I was never invited back. (even tho' I'm an excellent worker, I am not a kool-aid drinker) You are right, he will be in deep doo-doo after his gig is up. He may even experience a conversion. :rofl:

[Hissyspit]

53. That's not the same as a university environment.

Colleges are forums for ideas and and debate. Not all expression on an academic door would be protected - I can't slander a student, for instance - but the standard for suppression of any expression is extremely high.

[yellerpup]

64. Thanks.

Good to know.

[mike_c]

47. I think you over reacted...

...and I suspect you know why. I'll illustrate with a true story.

My university lab door has various anti-war posters all over it, including messages explicitly directed against the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. You know how it is with university office doors-- lots of us personalize them. Not all of it is in good taste, but that's OK to a degree. My lab windows are curtained with a corporate nation flag and a peace flag. One of my students actually hung the flags, back in 2000 or so, but I like them so they're still there.

Shortly after 9/11 a colleague in another department began complaining about my "unpatriotic and insulting parodies of the United States' flag," writing to me first, then to my department chair and dean, evidently several times. I later learned he had pursued the complaint all the way through the university administration and ultimately it had been ruled on by the Chancellor's office. The ruling was that displaying those items was part of my freedom of expression, even if some folks took offense. The only exceptions would be expressions that attacked or threatened people in protected classes or-- because we are a public institution and the legislature is sensitive to partisanship-- those that expressed open and explicit partisanship. The later must be utterly explicit favoring of one political party or candidate, not its message, e.g. it's OK to protest "Obamacare" but not OK post campaign stickers during an election.

In your case, Obama might be a member of a protected class-- a racial minority-- but he is also a public figure. I suppose the line needs to be walked pretty carefully there, but unless the transgression is egregious and clear, I'd advocate coming down on the side of protecting academic speech and free expression, even when we don't like the message.

[izzybeans]

48. He can put it on his door and you can write on it if you choose. He

brought it into the public forum so he better be able to handle the soft consequences of ridicule.

Don't take it down, just keep reposting the post-it. Don't deface it in any other way. Let it be an emblem of his bigotry.

[donco6]

56. I don't really think you can prevent him from putting something on his door.

As much as you and I may hate it, I believe it's in his prerogative to put it there.

But posting a note to it is probably OK too.

[Hansel]

71. You can prevent him from putting this on his door.

This is a racist poster and he cannot have it on his door. The poster is more racist than it is political, and the professor is using the guise of posting a political opinion to cover for the fact that this is a blatantly racist and demeaning poster.

[MadBadger]

73. Its not really HIS door.

[a la izquierda]

57. i thank dog every day that i'm a historian...

sorry for your dilemma. his poster sounds really offensive.

[lakerboy]

58. Don't stop yet...

I don't know what university you're at in Michigan, but I'm at GVSU and this wouldn't fly at all. In fact, when I was living in a dorm at one time someone wrote a homophobic slur on my whiteboard. The building director saw it and they actually sent out the cops.

Best of luck to you.

[branders seine]

60. If there is one thing I WILL NOT TOLERATE,

it is intolerance.

[Cleita]

66. I always found that disputes with professors when I was a student never

went well for me. Maybe informing the Southern Poverty Center about this might get him called up to his superiors.

[KonaKane]

77. The best that can be done about him will happen in 2011

when he finds his muffin ass out on the street looking for a job. There is nothing like a bucket of cold reality poured over the nearly empty head of the Teabagger to bring them closer to a clue.

[ThomThom]

81. It is inappropriate in the work place, you are right..

He can hang anything he wants at home in his den but the work place is a different matter.