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From: Rosemary Feurer <rfeurer@niu.edu> List Editor: Seth Wigderson <sethw@MAINE.EDU> Editor's Subject: Help defend academic freedom for labor educators Author's Subject: Help defend academic freedom for labor educators Date Written: Tue, 3 May 2011 18:54:20 -0400 Date Posted: Wed, 03 May 2011 18:54:20 -0400

Dear H-Laborers

Many of you may have heard about the attack on Missouri labor educators
by Andrew Breitbart. Below is the news story which indicates the
distortion

At the moment, it is especially important to put pressure on UM-St.
Louis to support Don Giljum, one of the most progressive trade unionists
in the area, whose words, like Ancel's were viciously distorted by
clever editing.

UM-SL has not defended Don's academic freedom. Please take a moment to
write a short note to Thomas F. George, Chancellor and send to
chancellor@umsl.edu
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/04/29/fallout_from_videos_of_labor_course_at_university_of_missouri

Dear Colleagues,

Last week UMSL and UMKC were targeted by Andrew Breitbart, a
conservative commentator who has declared his intention to go after
teachers and unions. That is his prerogative, but what he did to us is
not. He posted sliced and diced videos from the Labor Studies class to
make it appear that the instructors, Judy Ancel at KC and Don Giljum at
UMSL, were advocating violence.

The administration at UMKC responded appropriately, defending academic
freedom and objecting to the violation of the students' privacy.

UMSL's response, by contrast, has been weak and confused. Instead of
defending free speech, UMSL announced (apparently incorrectly) that Don
Giljum had resigned and would not be rehired.

Don worked hard to establish Labor Studies on this campus, and he has
taught as an adjunct at UMSL for over a decade. If he can be forced out
by false accusations, anyone can.

Soon there will be a petition. The AAUP (American Assoc. of University
Professors) press release is attached, and here are links to the news
stories.

Please circulate and discuss this information.
Best, Gerda
Gerda Ray <gerdawray@gmail.com>
Inside Higher Eduction:
Inside Higher Ed (
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/04/29/fallout_from_videos_of_labor_course_at_university_of_missouri
)

UMKC supports Academic Freedom
UMKC Supports Academic Freedom (
http://www.stltoday.com/news/national/article_a4fe9894-c41c-5858-bb70-4260b3915397.html
)

UMSL waffles on Academic Freedom
UMSL waffles on Academic Freedom (
http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/article_646c9d41-0c0b-54d6-8536-b15da7125102.html
)



AAUPMedia Release
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
1133 Nineteenth St., NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C.  20036
202-737-5900
Contact: Bob Kreiser
202-737-5900
bkreiser@aaup.org (
https://e2k.exchange.umkc.edu/OWA/redir.aspx?C=57fba9941ec84420888691ea0fb5661e&URL=mailto%3abkreiser%40aaup.org
)
April 28, 2011
Compromising Academic Freedom and Creating a Hostile Classroom
Environment
A Statement from AAUP General Secretary Gary Rhoades
Washington, D.C. ─ c
The video posted on Breitbart’s BigGovernment website is entitled
“Thuggery 101: Union Official, Professor Teach How-To College Course
in Violent Union Tactics.”  The violence that is being done, however, is
to the academic freedom and employment security of the instructors, and
to the privacy and safe classroom environment of the students, some of
whom speak on the video clip.  When students voice their views in class,
they should not have to fear that their comments will be spread all over
the Internet.  When faculty members rightly explore difficult topics in
class, they should not have to fear for their jobs or their lives.
(Death threats to the instructors have been posted on Breitbart’s blog).


Quality education in a democracy requires the free and open exchange of
ideas by professors and students without fear of retaliation.  It
requires academic freedom.  And it requires safe classroom environments.
 Those commitments and conditions are at the heart of the American
Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) basic principles.
In his own words, in a recent appearance on the Sean Hannity show,
Andrew Breitbart indicated that he intends to “go after” teachers and
unions.  That is in keeping with a current environment in which some
politicians seek to make a name for themselves by attacking the rights
of working people and the work of people whose inherent right (and
responsibility) it is to explore a variety of ideas.
Breitbart has a right to voice his views; he does not have a right to
his own facts. He does not have a right to distort the class in ways
that are evident in the video clips and that are detailed by Judy Ancel
in her response to the attack.  Neither does he have the right to
trample on the academic freedom of professors and their students, nor on
the privacy rights of students in their classroom work.
The AAUP denounces the actions of Andrew Breitbart as compromising
academic freedom, quality education, and the rights of students to a
safe classroom environment.  We call on the University of Missouri,
Kansas City, the University of Missouri, Saint Louis and the University
of Missouri System to speak out clearly and forcefully in defense of the
rights of their professors and students.  And we call on all people of
reason in the academy and beyond to do likewise.
Gary Rhoades
AAUP General Secretary