Religious Bigotry In A University Classroom?

[maklelan]

A couple years ago I posted on a prominent anti-Mormon who was teaching for a Texas community college and appeared to be actively spreading bigotry in his classroom. Several people involved in higher education chimed in and commented that his approach was absolutely unacceptable. It was recently brought to my attention that this professor has now resigned as a direct result of his bigotry. Apparently two Muslim students were particularly offended and interrupted his class repeatedly, finally storming out while one allegedly made a veiled threat to the class. A police report was filed, but one of the students who stormed out sent an email to the school and the students documenting the teacher's bigotry elsewhere on the internet. The school began to come down on the teacher rather than the students, and he resigned. I cover the details on my blog, here.

[Jeff K.]

We see it in a number of places, not always as blatant as this. I might comment too that in LDS dominated communities, non members also may face this. People are human, and the best way to improve them is to help them understand when they hurt others. I do know our church has a strong policy and advices strongly against treating others as if they are somehow less merely because you have received blessings they have not. I have seen people in other churches be equally magnanimous in their gestures towards different belief system, though I do not know what their specific policies are towards other churches.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Jeff K.

[morgan.deane]

A couple years ago I posted on a prominent anti-Mormon who was teaching for a Texas community college and appeared to be actively spreading bigotry in his classroom. Several people involved in higher education chimed in and commented that his approach was absolutely unacceptable. It was recently brought to my attention that this professor has now resigned as a direct result of his bigotry. Apparently two Muslim students were particularly offended and interrupted his class repeatedly, finally storming out while one allegedly made a veiled threat to the class. A police report was filed, but one of the students who stormed out sent an email to the school and the students documenting the teacher's bigotry elsewhere on the internet. The school began to come down on the teacher rather than the students, and he resigned. I cover the details on my blog, here.

Several years ago I emailed their human resources department to complain about his rather unprofessional conduct I encountered on the web. It is good to see the school finally taking action. Of course I would have rather seen him repent of his bigotry, act like a professional, and keep his job (and I don't even know enough to comment about the supposed threats from Muslims). But you reap what you sow.

Edited January 20, 2012 by morgan.deane

[maklelan]

What I find most horrifying is that Paul openly advocates the following approaches to other religions:

I listed three steps to “fix” the problem of Islamic terrorism. One, forbid the existence of Islamic terrorist front groups like CAIR to set up shop in the United States. Two, place all mosques under 24/7 surveillance. Three, profile Muslims, given that they are the main, and habitual, perpetrators of things like attempting to blow up planes over American cities. Dr. Coan read the third solution to me, which I stated,

Third, every Muslim should be profiled, and if caught breaking the law—even if it’s spitting on the sidewalk—should be deported or executed, depending on the level of offense. If deported that Muslim should be given the strict order “Don’t ever come back! You’re no longer welcome here!” If executed, then the rest of the Muslim community can thank Allah for the infidel sending the criminal (not martyr) to his reward. At least the rest of humanity won’t have to be concerned about him wreaking senseless havoc in this world anymore.

Her main question dealt with deporting the Muslim and telling them not to come back. I stand by the remedy. If the Muslim wishes to live in America, then abide by American law and allow Americans to live according to the dictates of their conscience, regardless of their religious persuasion. However, given the Islamic worldview, as driven by the anti-Semitic and caustic commands given in the Qur’an, along with examples relayed in the Hadith and Shari’a Law, the true-blue Muslim has no intention of abiding peacefully with his American or Western neighbor.

Edited January 20, 2012 by maklelan

[maklelan]

Several years ago I emailed their human resources department to complain about his rather unprofessional conduct I encountered on the web. It is good to see the school finally taking action. Of course I would have rather seen him repent of his bigotry, act like a professional, and keep his job (and I don't even know enough to comment about the supposed threats from Muslims). But you reap what you sow.

I never did get in touch with the school after hearing about his behavior, but I feel now like I should have.

[Daniel Peterson]

Wow. The teacher's behavior seems to have been entirely inappropriate -- and especially for what, I think, is a tax-supported public institution.

At my high school, in southern California, we had a history teacher who, for reasons that I never knew (it may have been, simply, that he was a committed member of the fundamentalist [?] Protestant "Church of the Nazarene"), really had it in for Mormonism. During his summer American history class, one year, he opened virtually every day with criticism or mockery of the Mormons. I knew him, but was not in that class -- it would be two more years before I was eligible for it, and then I ended up taking it from another teacher, whom I really liked -- but a very popular and intelligent girl from my ward was in the class, and he routinely reduced her to tears. For a while, she wouldn't tell her parents what the problem was, but when they found out, they immediately lodged a protest with the principal, who called the teacher in and gave him the option of either ceasing such behavior or being fired. By the time I got to know him, he was as tight-lipped as a clam on the subject of Mormonism. We were never close, he and I, but he treated me civilly and with respect. He reformed, outwardly at least, but I thought the principal's warning to him was entirely justified. There is no place for such behavior at a public high school.

Unfair caricatures of other religions aren't limited to Protestants, of course. Some time ago -- substantially more than a decade, I would guess -- a teacher here at BYU was using a World Religions class to attack Islam (which was not his area of expertise, in any event). Muslim students in the class complained to the University administration about his teaching on the subject and, to BYU's credit, he was told to cease and desist. (I had nothing to do with this case, but some of the students in his class -- Muslim and non-Muslim [Middle East Studies-Arabic majors] alike -- later shared with me some of the things he had said. They were both wildly wrong and grossly unjust, and I'm glad that BYU took the stand that it did. By the way, he stopped saying such things, and has apparently been doing a pretty good job for a long time now.

Anyway, I've read a few of the allegations against this Texas teacher and, if they're accurate, I think the school is well rid of him. I would never dream of teaching about other faiths in that spirit.

[thesometimesaint]

Time wounds all heals.

[Jeff K.]

Wow. The teacher's behavior seems to have been entirely inappropriate -- and especially for what, I think, is a tax-supported public institution.

At my high school, in southern California, we had a history teacher who, for reasons that I never knew (it may have been, simply, that he was a committed member of the fundamentalist [?] Protestant "Church of the Nazarene"), really had it in for Mormonism. During his summer American history class, one year, he opened virtually every day with criticism or mockery of the Mormons. I knew him, but was not in that class -- it would be two more years before I was eligible for it, and then I ended up taking it from another teacher, whom I really liked -- but a very popular and intelligent girl from my ward was in the class, and he routinely reduced her to tears. For a while, she wouldn't tell her parents what the problem was, but when they found out, they immediately lodged a protest with the principal, who called the teacher in and gave him the option of either ceasing such behavior or being fired. By the time I got to know him, he was as tight-lipped as a clam on the subject of Mormonism. We were never close, he and I, but he treated me civilly and with respect. He reformed, outwardly at least, but I thought the principal's warning to him was entirely justified. There is no place for such behavior at a public high school.

Unfair caricatures of other religions aren't limited to Protestants, of course. Some time ago -- substantially more than a decade, I would guess -- a teacher here at BYU was using a World Religions class to attack Islam (which was not his area of expertise, in any event). Muslim students in the class complained to the University administration about his teaching on the subject and, to BYU's credit, he was told to cease and desist. (I had nothing to do with this case, but some of the students in his class -- Muslim and non-Muslim [Middle East Studies-Arabic majors] alike -- later shared with me some of the things he had said. They were both wildly wrong and grossly unjust, and I'm glad that BYU took the stand that it did. By the way, he stopped saying such things, and has apparently been doing a pretty good job for a long time now.

Anyway, I've read a few of the allegations against this Texas teacher and, if they're accurate, I think the school is well rid of him. I would never dream of teaching about other faiths in that spirit.

We have a similar teacher named Corbette in our Orange County High School who routinely undermines religion in general. He ended up going to far with his diatribes and was slapped down a bit, an evangelical student not used to such abuse recorded him, LDS students shrugged, we harden ourselves to this over time. It is something we continue to face here and in other places.

[CQUIRK]

None of these stories surprise me.

If you have a teacher or college professor/instructors that's saying or doing things that are downright offensive or vulgar, then stand up for yourself and/or for others and object to it. And if that doesn't work, then go to the people above him or her about the person.

And if that doesn't work either, then take legal action.

The "turn the other cheek" philosophy shouldn't apply to this, because if you do nothing, then not only are you being a coward, but by your silence, you give that person the power and confidence to continue to do and say the things that are offensive or vulgar... Or both.

[CQUIRK]

Paul Derengowski? hasn't he posted on here before and was banned?

I remember how he sometimes comments on articles on The Christian Post and I've gone at it with him on there too.

He is quite a twisted, delusional creature indeed.

Edited January 22, 2012 by CQUIRK

[Pahoran]

Paul Derengowski? hasn't he posted on here before and was banned?

I remember how he sometimes comments on articles on The Christian Post and I've gone at it with him on there too.

He is quite a twisted, delusional creature indeed.

I too have had the privilege of crossing swords with Paul "Deranged" Derengowski; I'm not sure, but I think it was on on CARM or "Concerned Christians" (Inc.)

Firstly, I find it a matter of some satisfaction to learn that this spiteful demagogue has finally found out that boundaries apply to him, too. Did anyone notice how proud he was of putting his single LDS student on the spot for a period of sustained, teacher-sanctioned bullying?

Secondly, it seems to me that the school is at fault for not taking action from the moment he first tried turning his lectern into a bully pulpit. Had the administration chosen to reprimand him for his inappropriate teaching methods, he might still have his job today.

All that said, it does seem like the students should have been disciplined -- not for standing up to this thug, but for the way they went about it.

Regards,

Pahoran

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

I too have had the privilege of crossing swords with Paul "Deranged" Derengowski; I'm not sure, but I think it was on on CARM or "Concerned Christians" (Inc.)

Regards,

Pahoran

Why am I not surprised that it was PaulD that got fired. Before I even read the blog I figured it was him. That guy was a tool.

Any way moving on.

Thanks for the link Dan.

[silvermoon383]

Oh wow, it was PaulD that was the teacher? I wish I had realized that earlier in the thread. I've had the misfortune of dealing with him on some other forums (don't remember if he ever came here). You aren't kidding when you say he's a piece of work. One of the forums I've had to deal with him on is somewhat hostile to the Church (they deny it, but their actions towards Mormon posters are quite telling), and he was so bad that he was constantly getting in trouble over his treatment of us. When he showed up at the 2nd forum I sent a note of warning to the mods and other Mormon posters there.

I think I remember him mentioning a desire to do this in a class (or it might have been an announcement that he is/does). I'm not terribly surprised that he actually did do it, and very, very glad he got busted for it. He is as vile as they come. I'd want the street screechers over him, they don't even pretend to be intellectual.

[Libs]

Wow...that's interesting. I remember PaulD from several different places, but mostly CARM.

Kind of not surprised that he is in this kind of trouble. His posts were always getting him in trouble, even with people who were, basically, on his side of the argument. He could be very harsh.

[Scott Lloyd]

, LDS students shrugged, we harden ourselves to this over time. It is something we continue to face here and in other places.

I am unacquainted with the teacher you mention and so can't comment on this specific case, but speaking generally, I say you would be doing the rest of us -- and society in general -- a service not to "shrug it off" when you encounter such behavior. This is an instance wherein silence decidedly isn't golden.

[Scott Lloyd]

I too have had the privilege of crossing swords with Paul "Deranged" Derengowski; I'm not sure, but I think it was on on CARM or "Concerned Christians" (Inc.)

Firstly, I find it a matter of some satisfaction to learn that this spiteful demagogue has finally found out that boundaries apply to him, too. Did anyone notice how proud he was of putting his single LDS student on the spot for a period of sustained, teacher-sanctioned bullying?

Secondly, it seems to me that the school is at fault for not taking action from the moment he first tried turning his lectern into a bully pulpit. Had the administration chosen to reprimand him for his inappropriate teaching methods, he might still have his job today.

All that said, it does seem like the students should have been disciplined -- not for standing up to this thug, but for the way they went about it.

Regards,

Pahoran

Glancing through Darengowski's self-serving "essay," I'm not persuaded the students' behavior warrants discipline. They were engaging in spirited, emotional argumentation, the very thing Darengowski seems to delight in promoting/inciting. At the peak of the drama, one student blurted out, "You ought to be scared," before storming out. It seems an overreaction to file a complaint with campus police over such a thing, indicative of the paranoia that would brand every adherent to Islam a terrorist. On its face, the exclamation is open to interpretation and may not be qualitatively different than declaring to a Mormon that he is going to hell.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Scott Lloyd

[maklelan]

Or saying to me, "admit that you hate God and DIE," as another CARM poster once did.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

Or saying to me, "admit that you hate God and DIE," as another CARM poster once did.

Wow.

[why me]

A couple years ago I posted on a prominent anti-Mormon who was teaching for a Texas community college and appeared to be actively spreading bigotry in his classroom. Several people involved in higher education chimed in and commented that his approach was absolutely unacceptable. It was recently brought to my attention that this professor has now resigned as a direct result of his bigotry. Apparently two Muslim students were particularly offended and interrupted his class repeatedly, finally storming out while one allegedly made a veiled threat to the class. A police report was filed, but one of the students who stormed out sent an email to the school and the students documenting the teacher's bigotry elsewhere on the internet. The school began to come down on the teacher rather than the students, and he resigned. I cover the details on my blog, here.

I think that we need to define bigotry and if a loose definition of the word could suppress free speech.

[thesometimesaint]

You(not you personally) can be a bigoted as you like. There are no laws against it. But don't be surprized if you get called on it if done in public. Students are essentially a captive audience. They can't leave without consequence. But I'd sure file a complaint against any teacher that pulled that stunt.

[Daniel Peterson]

I think that we need to define bigotry and if a loose definition of the word could suppress free speech.

Obviously, this is a very risky thing, and academic freedom -- freedom of speech in general -- is a central value that we should always affirm.

But aggressively (and repeatedly or continuously) mocking, deriding, or criticizing a substantial and specific religious faith is, on the whole, a pretty obviously inappropriate thing for a teacher at a tax-supported institution to do. I doubt that there are very many serious people who would defend it.

For that matter, I think it an utterly inappropriate thing to do at BYU, which is an overtly Mormon, religiously-committed, private institution. And I'm happy to say that, so far as I can tell, and with very, very few exceptions (if any) -- certainly in recent decades -- it isn't done here.

But, while it would be legal to do so at BYU, it's not legal to do so at a public high school and it's highly problematic, legally speaking, at a community college.

[Jaybear]

Obviously, this is a very risky thing, and academic freedom -- freedom of speech in general -- is a central value that we should always affirm.

But aggressively (and repeatedly or continuously) mocking, deriding, or criticizing a substantial and specific religious faith is, on the whole, a pretty obviously inappropriate thing for a teacher at a tax-supported institution to do. I doubt that there are very many serious people who would defend it.

Mocking and deriding is considered rude and unproffessional.

To me, however, the more relevant question is whether he is an effective teacher. Personally, I think a professor can be much more effective by not mocking or deriding the beliefs of his students.

Moreover, I don't see any difference between mocking/deriding someone's religious belief and mocking/deriding someone's political beliefs or scientific beliefs or philosophical beliefs or historical beliefs, except that some religious people consider religous beliefs to be sacrosanct. God shall not be mocked.

For that matter, I think it an utterly inappropriate thing to do at BYU, which is an overtly Mormon, religiously-committed, private institution. And I'm happy to say that, so far as I can tell, and with very, very few exceptions (if any) -- certainly in recent decades -- it isn't done here.

Personally, I believe that actions speak louder than words. At BYU if a Catholic student converts to Mormonism, its cause for celebration. Whereas, if a Mormon student converts to Catholocism, its cause for expulsion.

Mocking seem rather tame in comparision to expulsion.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Jaybear

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

Mocking and deriding is considered rude and unproffessional.

To me, however, the more relevant question is whether he is an effective teacher.

This almost sounds like "the ends justify the means".

[Pahoran]

Personally, I believe that actions speak louder than words. At BYU if a Catholic student converts to Mormonism, its cause for celebration. Whereas, if a Mormon student converts to Catholocism, its cause for expulsion.

Mocking seem rather tame in comparision to expulsion.

You are comparing apples and spanners. BYU is an LDS university that gives preferential entry to LDS students. Voluntarily relinquishing one of the qualifying criteria under which a student was accepted at the university would seem, to most reasonable people, as an effective way to relinquish that student's place at the university.

Put another way: Your hypothetical LDS student was accepted at BYU in part because he was LDS. Your hypothetical Catholic student was accepted despite not being LDS. By leaving the Church, student #1 has stepped away from what gave him a claim on a place at the university; by joining the Church, student #2 has given herself an additional qualification for a place at the university.

See, that wasn't hard, was it?

Furthermore, Mr Derengowski went beyond mere mocking and deriding in his classes. He boasted of having set up a debate in which his sole LDS student was forced to argue against his hand-picked debate team before a "jury" that had been spoon-fed the sole acceptable conclusion, namely that "Marmunz ain't Chrisjuns." This is more than mere mockery; it's setting up a virtual inquisition, in which the LDS student is put on the spot and kept there.

Not that you can see anything wrong with that, of course.

Regards,

Pahoran

[Jaybear]

You are comparing apples and spanners. BYU is an LDS university that gives preferential entry to LDS students. Voluntarily relinquishing one of the qualifying criteria under which a student was accepted at the university would seem, to most reasonable people, as an effective way to relinquish that student's place at the university.

Put another way: Your hypothetical LDS student was accepted at BYU in part because he was LDS. Your hypothetical Catholic student was accepted despite not being LDS. By leaving the Church, student #1 has stepped away from what gave him a claim on a place at the university; by joining the Church, student #2 has given herself an additional qualification for a place at the university.

See, that wasn't hard, was it?

Pahoran

Oh I get it. Since BYU openly discriminates against prospective Catholics students in its admission practices, it not descrimination to boot out a mormon student who converts to Catholicism.

Thank you for clearing that up for me.