National organization backs up Southwestern College teachers; professors allowed to return

Three professors who were barred from Southwestern College in response to their involvement in protests against budget cuts have been allowed to return to campus today.

This follows a small explosion of nation attention, which started yesterday when  Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) slammed SWC…on Huffington Post. Here’s what FIRE President Greg Lukianoff posted:

If speaking your mind about issues facing the college where you teach–or even just joining a group of students doing the same–sounds to you like a reasonable thing for a professor to do, then you might want to stay away from Southwestern College in California.

That’s the best conclusion I can draw regarding the situation at Southwestern College (SWC), which has banned three professors from campus and denied them the use of campus e-mail and other resources after they did nothing more than join a group of students who was peacefully protesting against recent budget cutbacks at the college.

FIRE also sent a letter to SWC Superintendent-President Raj Chopra condemning the school’s  suspension of the faculty members and the criminal charges filed against them . (KGTV-10 reported on this Wednesday night, claiming its reporter “obtained” the letter, which usually means someone leaked it. Noooo…it was publicly available on FIRE’s website.)

SWC has unconstitutionally suspended three professors who did nothing more than join a group of students who peacefully protested SWC decisions and requested an audience with you. FIRE is also concerned about reports that the campus police have been used to intimidate faculty members and students and that students are being declared guilty of offenses for exercising their constitutional rights at SWC. Finally, FIRE has determined that SWC maintains and enforces an unconstitutional “free speech zone” policy restricting freedom of expression. SWC’s policies and actions have chilled and restricted freedom of expression, making a mockery of students’ and faculty members’ constitutional guarantees of free speech and free association—rights that SWC, as a public institution, is bound by the First Amendment to protect.

The national organization outlined a long list of legal precedents to back up its claims.

Faculty and students are throwing another protest at 11:30am today following the Southwestern College Education Association’s membership meeting. Here are the details:

Please meet on the corner of H Street and Otay Lakes Road after the SCEA meeting (around 11:30 AM). Feel free to bring posters that address one of the areas listed above. We will be wearing our yellow shirts, so be sure to get yours before they are all gone. Any leftover shirts will be available at the rally.

The suspended faculty will be the “special guests” and the SCEA’s 11am meeting.