|
|||||||
LAWRENCE
C. JORGENSEN LOS ANGELES VALLEY COLLEGE, Van Nuys, California JANUARY, 1997 For the past several semesters, several woman students have independently informed me that one of their woman professors (the same professor in each of the cases) has asked/ suggested/ promoted that they, the students in that class, keep a record of any/all professor's/ professors' name(s), and the examples of "sexual harassment" being perpetrated upon the female students by the conscious or unconscious sexual harassment actions, comments, gestures, and/or whatever, by their male professors. In addition, that same woman professor has on several class room occasions, I have been told, specifically referred to me by name as an example of male professors who are trying to maintain their “traditional right to sexually harass their women students.” How much more of this speech and behavior directed against me that is going on, and by whom, I'd be interested to know. What these unhappy casualties of the fall of Berlin Wall are about looks like a contemporary re-visitation of that most conformist period in recent United States' history, the 1950s and the resulting "Mc Carthyite" assault upon non-conforming or independent action, speech, art, writing, and ultimately to the attempted policing of thought and belief on campus and off.. You will have an opportunity to hear about or read the original complaint against me, as well as some of the comments about that complaint. Certainly, you will hear my comments about "it all." Be warned, therefore, that there are among us, and perhaps in every one of my classes, those who wish to visit ill upon people like myself, and most importantly upon "academic freedom" itself. They may well be keeping records, notes, files on fellow students, as well as professors. It has happenned before. Do not be confused by political labeling; throughout history the authoritarian persona has embraced flags of various hues, vocabularies of various causes and symbols of various faiths. Judge folks by their actions. FASCISM IS AS FASCISM DOES
The primary or most common source of bigotry is ignorance, a lack of knowledge, contact or familiarity with those kinds of information, ideas, peoples, and cultures that differ from one's own. It is almost a natural condition to being raised in a particular religion, ethnic or national group, culture or sub-culture. Formal education, particularly at the College and University level, has as a primary goal the offending of the bigot, of creating an environment hostile to big-otry. Generally speaking, this institution and most particularly this professor (Lawrence C. Jorgensen) considers it essential to critical thinking that bigots and bigotry be affronted. Don't take it personal; I've been there myself. Sometimes, I find myself there once again. Life is Change. Life is learning to live with those changes that enhance the human condition, yours included, and rejecting those that do not, that are de-structive to humanness. And sometimes it is difficult to tell. Thus, keep an open mind. Be thou not a bigot. A second kind of bigotry springs from a serious and traumatic personal
victimiza-tion, or from a morbid Preoccupation with historic Victimization(s)
in general. This class, and this professor, is not designed or Structured to
deal with this latter form of bigotry. Indeed, if a student feels that they
belong to this Second category, DROP THIS CLASS. - . DO IT NOW. - - JUST GET
Up and LEAVE. You'll feel bet-ter, less offended; and I'll feel like I can
then do my job of assaulting ignorance. Thanks. LCJ
WARNING READ ASK QUESTIONS Greetings, one and all. I'm Chuck Jorgensen, an accused sexual
harasser. That statement has been my standard introduction in all of my classes ever since that charge was first directed against me by this College and the Los Angeles Valley College District in September, 1993. I think it only fair to alert everyone about the professor into whose political science or history class they have enrolled. Of course, I will also distribute copies of the original complaint so charging me, along with other materials. I also request that all students read and sign a statement that they are aware of the charge. About a year ago, those charges were withdrawn, but no one has officially declared them to have been baseless, and in error, from the beginning. In addition, secret official files detailing that charge against me are being kept in several places. Thus, the College, the District and the individuals responsible are preventing me from completely clearing my name. Because of that "sex offense" charge, for which no one will apologize, I am unable to change teaching venues. For example, my wife and I were thinking of retiring and moving out of the Los Angeles area. However, an important auxiliary consideration to that retirement was my intention to teach part time in the community to which we moved. You can certainly understand that no college or university administrator is going to consider hiring, even for a part time position, an instructor who has been so charged. We had four places on our list: Santa Rosa, California; Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico. Initial face-to-face investigations relative to part time employment were most positive. . . until all this. They all understand the unfairness of this, but given the contemporary highly charged, sexual/political climate no one wishes to invite a political hassle upon themselves. I do not agree with their position, but I can understand it. Be all that as it may, "and the good Lord willing," if that expression is not also politically incorrect, I am not going to leave Los Angeles Valley College until my 30 plus year teaching record has been cleared; the unconstitutional restrictions upon class room speech and materials lifted; and . . . well, stay tuned. And, Fascism is as fascism does, remember.
We the People As most of you are increasingly aware, something called democracy was not the original intention of the founders of the United States government. For over 200 years, countless Americans have labored, struggled, fought and died to expand the definition and include greater and greater numbers into the initially narrow "all men are created equal" pronouncement of the Declaration of Independence. At the same time, the "We the People" of the Constitution's Preamble has been also expanded to include many not originally intended. But have the tasks been completed? No way! Do we still have a lot to do? You bet! Public Education Alert Serve and Protect Quality and Credibility Remember, this is the 1990's, not the 1790's. You are now a part of
"We the people You must go forward, not backward. You have a right to
be here. It is your college not theirs. It is your time, not theirs. And
most importantly, it is your life, your future, they are screwing around
with.
|