Graduate Student Canned for “Advocating” Corporal Punishment

March 10, 2005

Graduate student Scott McConnell learned the hard way that it is not safe to advocate corporal punishment in the class room. We’re not talking about employing capital punishment (spanking some kid), but writing a paper extolling its virtues. Five days before the spring semester began in January, McConnell learned that he had been dismissed from this college — a Jesuit college, no less. According to the New York Times:

I have grave concerns regarding the mismatch between your personal beliefs regarding teaching and learning and the Le Moyne College program goals,” Dr. Leogrande wrote in a letter, according to a copy provided by Mr. McConnell. “Your registration for spring 2005 courses has been withdrawn.”

I think the faculty members making this decision ought to be paddled themselves — and suspended until they learn to respect free speech, even for those they don’t agree with.

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