There is a controversy at Eastern Maine Community College after a professor reportedly attacked a Christian conservative student for writing an essay about gun control. Katherine Parker accused English instructor Carol Lewandowski of engaging in raw political bias and then receiving no support from the community college.
Parker was asked to complete a persuasive speech paper in response to an editorial. She chose an editorial by columnist Douglas Rooks in the Portland Press Herald entitled, “Maine Legislature derelict in its duty on ‘red flag’,” criticizing Democratic leaders for failing to hold a hearing on a bill for a new “red flag” law.
While agreeing with Rooks that a hearing was a good idea, Parker opposed the red flag law.
After submitting the draft to Lewandowski for feedback, Parker said that she was told to change topics and was ridiculed over her religious and political beliefs. Lewandowski made reference to Parker’s earlier essay in support of her Christian faith in mocking her position on gun rights.
Lewandowski told Parker to “avoid proselytizing with logical fallacies in a college class” — treating her support for the Second Amendment as such a “logical fallacy.” She then added “Wasn’t your former speech a testimony to finding Jesus. Did Jesus pack heat?”
Lewandowski then dismissed her views and told her to pick a different topic because Parker’s views were unacceptable to her:
“I find this 2nd amendment nonsense exhausting and highly recommend you choose a different topic since this one is not one I can easily grade, given my own disdain for the misinterpretations of the second amendment…Hate to tell ya, but guns DO kill….You clearly do not care about people as much as you care about guns. Your argument is a solid representation of that. For fairness to you and to me, please choose another topic.”
The community college professor continued to heap insults on the student: “And think again about Jesus packing heat. Really. You and your ilk drive me nuts with your hypocrisy. Guns kill. Own it.”
When Parker objected to Lewandowski, the professor again told her to change topics and suggested that she take up any complaints with the department chair and the dean (who were cc’ed on the email).
“Please change your topic as I earlier requested as this is a trigger issue for me. No pun intended…I admit I cannot assess the gun issue objectively.”
One would think that such an abusive and politically biased attack on a student would result in the termination of the professor. However, Parker alleges that the community college did not seem inclined to take action against Lewandowski.
Parker says that she spoke to EMCC Dean of Academics Lynn Hunter, who “assured me that discrimination was not tolerated at the community college, but she did not give me a clear answer when I asked her how she felt about what the teacher said to me — she assured me that she would be getting both sides of the story.”
While she says that Hunter “apologized for what I was going through,” there is no evidence of disciplinary action against Lewandowski.
Dr. Lesley Gillis, Chair, English & Co-Chair, Liberal Studies was also cc’ed on the email.
Such abuse of a student over political and religious views should result in the termination of the professor. However, we have seen a high-level of toleration (and even support for) anti-conservative and anti-Republican positions by faculty. That includes teachers in Maine calling for Trump supporters to be “taken out.”
It is now common to hear inflammatory language from professors advocating “detonating white people,” denouncing police, calling for Republicans to suffer, strangling police officers, celebrating the death of conservatives, calling for the killing of Trump supporters, supporting the murder of conservative protesters and other outrageous statements. One professor who declared that there is “nothing wrong” with such acts of violence as killing conservatives was actually promoted.
At the same time, there is little tolerance for conservatives targeted for controversial statements against the left.
We have not heard directly from Professor Lewandowski, but these communications are shocking. If true, the failure of the community college to take action immediately against Lewandowski is a chilling reminder of how higher education has lost its moorings. By retaining Lewandowski, the college is not just allowing but facilitating such abuse of students.
More importantly, this type of raw political bias and abuse does not occur outside of an enabling culture. Lewandowski not only felt that she had a license to oppose a religious or conservative student, but cc’ed her superiors to show Parker that she had little concern over any disciplinary response.
This is a teacher who has clearly stated that she finds opposing sides “triggering” and cannot grade papers which advance views with which she has “disdain.” A mere shrug and apology is hardly sufficient.
Lewandowski is listed as an instructor, though some publications refer to her as the head of the department. That position appears to be held by Gillis.
Indeed, it is not just Lewandowski’s conduct that should be reviewed but also the alleged conduct (or lack of response) from Gillis and Hunter.
What happened to this student is the very antithesis of the values supporting higher education. Roughly half of citizens in Maine are gun owners. Many are religious. They should feel that they can attend their community college without being ridiculed over their religious and political beliefs. That is why the Maine legislature should look into this controversy if the school fails to do so. The citizens of Maine support this school system and students like Parker often have to make sacrifices to attend these schools. They deserve better than what Parker faced in this course.
After reading the Prof’s more-public email, I can admit that she was at least civil to the student – while at the same time confessing that she was emotionally incompetent to do the job that the people of Maine are paying her to do…in effect, a letter of resignation…
If the student had been a jew, Trump would immediately do something about this. But it’s a Christian so nobody really cares.
Gun violence is NOT the leading cause of death for children. The people who made up that lie included 18 year olds who were involved in gang and criminal activity.
That said, religion is absolute garbage, especially of the Christian kind.
The excremental piety and self appointed intelligensia of the acolytes of the Rock Fairy Religion Of Atheism is both gross and deeply annoying.
Particularly to agnostics who watch their sophomoric attempts to cover their inability to provide proofs for their faith – by resorting to their only article of faith: insulting Christians from the Abrahamic religions.
They should be groveling on their knees for forgiveness after the 100+ million butchered over the last century by their fellow atheists Lenin, Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, etc.
A group of chanting Hare Krishna beggers are far less annoying.
Telling, how @Everyone goes out of his/her way to specifically trash religion “of the Christian kind” (and most-decidedly not any other): it proves that the “Crhistian kind” is the most real, therefore the most hated.
The bile spewed against Christians [with very little provocation] is not truly virtuous or progressive, neither does it justify the passive-aggressive hatred and hide the hypocrisy demonstrated in ignoring the most prolific, most infamous and REAL crimes against humanity by fellow Atheists Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Un, Maduro…. Over 100+ million butchered, and they whine about Christianity. Delusional, but dangerous….
Hopefully, some people in the Trump Admin will see this. Why should Harvard and Columbia and Northwestern have all the fun?
“Did Jesus pack heat?”
~+~
Jawbone of an ass… 1st century assault weapon.
Yes, the instructor attacked the student with her ~ jawbone and she is an ass.
She was jawbonin. She jawboned that poor girl.
Caused the kid extra work.
😂 yep, jawboned.
The dean might have graded the paper and saved the money. Fire all 3.
The professor should have simply evaluated and graded the student’s paper based on the criteria being tested. Nope, she had to make these inflammatory comments and drag herself and her employer through a senseless ordeal at a national scale. Such a waste of time and money.
It’s usually better to just stick to the job at hand and not invite any unwelcomed controversy.
Fortune cookie says: stick to job at hand. Good luck.
She recused herself based on bias. Her words were unfortunate. The dean might have given the instructor an assigment- persuasive argument regarding pro 2A. Due in 24 hours. Failure will result in reprimand.
Jesus packed a “burning bush”, and while it was a first-order forcing of climate change, it did not produce heat, only enlightenment.
So concerned about free speech until someone says something you dislike, and then you call for their job.
When a corrupt government employee turns “their job” into persecuting others for exercising their free speech, then yeah, Turley thinks they should be disciplined.
Parker was jawboned, OMFK. The cause is political fatigue.
Free speech MUST be protected for BOTH points of view! An “Instructor” that cannot evaluate a student who disagrees with them, SHOULD NOT BE “INSTRUCTING”!
NO! That’s what the left does, then they go even further with doxxing, impeaching, rioting….
To advance your critical thinking skills, Irrational-Anon, try not to conflate poor job performance, via destructive personal biases, with free-speech rights—they are different.
Any employer (taxpayer) is within the bounds of normal business and educational interactions-and-outcomes to assess [EVALUATE!] performance. Anyone not not following the universally accepted rules and boundaries [i.e., violating academic freedom and well-established “teaching” standards] can be fired. It happens all the time in the REAL world, a world which you seem to have left for Wiggy-land.
She didn’t say something that he didn’t like. She mocked
a students political and religious beliefs and made the student do extra work. Different. You’ll not find anyone that supports free speech more than Turley.
Will someone please explain why what Jesus thought about gun control is important?
Guns hadn’t been invented. There was no such thing as gun control. He said nothing about it.
Shane packs heat and makes civilization possible: