A victory won!
University Dumps Thought Reform Program
November 1, 2007
Late
Thursday, University of Delaware President Patrick Harker released on
the school’s website a Message to the University of Delaware Community
terminating the university’s ideological reeducation program, which
FIRE condemned as an exercise in thought reform. He stated, “I have
directed that the program be stopped immediately. No further activities
under the current framework will be conducted.” Harker also called for
a “full and broad-based review” of the program’s practices and
purposes. While concerns remain about the University of Delaware’s
commitment to free expression, FIRE commends President Harker for his
decision to immediately terminate the Orwellian residence life
education program. FIRE will have more on this development tomorrow.
President Harker’s message is reproduced in full below.A Message to the University of Delaware Community
Nov. 1, 2007
The
University of Delaware strives for an environment in which all people
feel welcome to learn, and which supports intellectual curiosity,
critical thinking, free inquiry and respect for the views and values of
an increasingly diverse population. The University is committed to the
education of students as citizens, scholars and professionals and their
preparation to contribute creatively and with integrity to a global
society. The purpose of the residence life educational program is to
support these commitments.While I believe that recent press
accounts misrepresent the purpose of the residential life program at
the University of Delaware, there are questions about its practices
that must be addressed and there are reasons for concern that the
actual purpose is not being fulfilled. It is not feasible to evaluate
these issues without a full and broad-based review.Upon the
recommendation of Vice President for Student Life Michael Gilbert and
Director of Residence Life Kathleen Kerr, I have directed that the
program be stopped immediately. No further activities under the current
framework will be conducted.Vice President Gilbert will work
with the University Faculty Senate and others to determine the proper
means by which residence life programs may support the intellectual,
cultural and ethical development of our students.Patrick Harker
President
The link is here.
Yes, working together, we can make a difference.
This is a victory for freedom of speech and freedom of thought for all
of the students on our universities. Thank you Flopping Aces and all of
you for all your hard work and keep up the good fight!
UPDATE
Curt adds:
Check out FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff talking to Glenn Beck about the Socialism program at the University:
Blogs at Orbys.net
Congrats to all those who commented here and sent emails similar to the one I sent to President Harker. Our voices can make a difference.
President Harker,
I am concerned that the following text is included in the University of Delaware’s Office of Residence Life Diversity Facilitation Training document:
“A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. The term applies to all white people”
Perhaps you can explain why your staff feel it is appropriate to teach this to your Residence Life staff? One would think teaching that all whites are racists would be equivalant to teaching that all Muslims are terrorists.
In the University’s case, it appears that is not so. Shame on UDel, President Harker, and shame on you and your staff for allowing this to happen.
Stephen Johnson
AT2(AW/NAC) USN
BA Penn State University
MA Penn State University
“Thought Reform” is called BRAINWASHING. Grab a psychology book, and look it up.
I’d be curious to see what Sen Biden of Delaware has to say about this given his racist gaffes.
Call me cynical but I bet they’re probably re-evaluating it in order to better hide it from the public. They’ll do this after firing any whistle-blowers once the heat dies down. The fact that they still think that the “program” had been “misrepresented” tells all. If he was really sorry, he’d resign in disgrace along with his Vice-President.
I remember when i was a new freshman that we received a similar progressive orientation. Honestly though, most of freshman are so preoccupied with sex,beer,and partying, that most just shrug this nonsense off as another set of rules to casually dismiss. Throughout college I just assumed my professors were just loony introverts and dismissed their idiotic ramblings just as quick…it was only with attending law school that i saw how destructive they could be to the less ambivalent and more impressionable student’s world view.
Honestly though, today’s generation doesn’t buy into this…if you asked a freshman at most colleges to choose between an enlightened discussion on the value of diversity or a fake ID and one night stand, most would choose a buzz and broad over Brown vs Board
The victory was short lived. Sen Biden used the same tactic on a group of 4th grade students visiting D.C. I sent him a message informing him that if I had been on scene, and one of my children was in the group, one of us would have carried an a** whipping on the spot. At least we have an idea of who and how the brainwashing program came into being. Look no further than Biden.