My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

THIS IS A SUMMARY:

The following is an account of my recent personal experience that includes some details omitted from the press reports:

Is there a creationist influence at Virginia Commonwealth University?

At least three faculty members who asked to remain anonymous have raised the issue with the administration. One faculty member was threatened that they would "never receive tenure at VCU" if they succeeded with a plan to teach a new 300 level undergraduate course in Evolution. Currently VCU only offers a 500 level course in evolution. The concerns of each faculty member were effectively dismissed by the administration. At least one student has complained to the administration about misleading information being taught in class. Another student, perhaps the same one, voiced a similar concern in an online forum: http://www.iidb.org/vbb/archive/index.php/t-113882.html

As a Bio 101 instructor I found the recently adopted text book "Essentials of Biology" objectionable due primarily to its lack of scientific information regarding the origins of life and and secondarily to a summary inclusion of an oblique and misleading reference to the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) as representative of an alternative "intelligent design theory". The ICR, in fact, represents strictly biblical creationism. Incidentally, the text also contains other right wing political bias, including references to abstinence as contraception. The textbook was also adopted by Oral Roberts University and several other lesser bible colleges. I was further alarmed when I discovered that textbook selection committee member Dr. Sharon Bullock is a member of the fanatical ICR: http://www.zoominfo.com/directory/Bullock_Sharon_96783926.htm

It is the express mission of the ICR to undermine science in favor of a literal interpretation of biblical scripture, "We believe God has raised up ICR to spearhead Biblical Christianity's defense against the godless and compromising dogma of evolutionary humanism". ( http://www.icr.org/ ). Since Dr. Bullock had been recently accused of undermining scientific content in her Biology 101 course and the text we adopted was arranged to avoid scientific discussion of life's origins, I felt that this combination of events represented a significant threat to the integrity of VCU's non-majors Biology 101 curriculum. I expressed my concerns to my fellow Bio 101 faculty and then ultimately to the chairman of the department, Dr. Leonard Smock.

I was shocked when both my mentor and then Dr. Smock scoffed at my concerns. I was told by other faculty colleagues who were sympathetic to my concern that, based on their personal experience with the creationist issue, the administration would do nothing. In fact Dr. Smock stated specifically that he would not act proactively when I tried to stress the urgency of this matter to him personally. I felt that a student complaint was likely to be stifled by apprehension, especially since the previous student complaint had apparently gone unheeded.

Furthermore, I surmised that the other Bio 101 faculty could no longer render objective judgement since everyone present at the textbook selection committee had agreed to accept inflated cash honorariums from the publisher in exchange for their considered review of this first edition text. The honorarium offered was touted by Jill Reid as being two to three times greater than the standard amount offered by other publishers of first edition texts. It is my perception that this monetary inducement contributed strongly to the Bio 101 faculty's decision to accept the "Essentials of Biology" textbook.

It became apparent that no one inside VCU was going to take this matter seriously. Creationism had become a taboo topic. I decided to take the issue to the press in order to provoke a much needed discussion.

A textbook case: Style Weekly magazine
http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=12429

Textbook sparks debate: Richmond Times Dispatch

This action cost me the renewal of my teaching contract despite a previous verbal agreement owing to my exhibition of "...unprofessional conduct which lacked collegiality" according to Dr. Smock, who relayed that statement on behalf of a closed faculty meeting concerning the controversy. The faculty then supported the adoption of the poorly constructed Bio 101 text despite its creationist leanings. Perhaps the faculty took these actions due to the influence of the Dean of Humanities and Sciences, Robert Holsworth. Dr. Holsworth reportedly suggested that to repudiate the text would somehow jeopardise NSF funding at VCU. Officially the faculty intimated that they did not observe any problem with the language, content, or lack thereof conveyed by the textbook "Essentials of Biology". Only one faculty member of the four who initially supported my observations had the courage to express dissent at this time.

VCU ditches professor who questioned text: Style Weekly
http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=12574

VCU Professor will not return: Richmond Times Dispatch

As a result VCU now has a clear mandate to be very careful about what is being taught, or in this case not taught, in its non-majors Biology classrooms. The faculty has finally had an opportunity to openly discuss Dr. Bullock's standing with the ICR. Dr. Bullock has had to re-evaluate her relationship with ICR. The publisher has told Dr. Smock that they would expunge any reference to the ICR in their current pressing of the textbook and "possibly" add Miller and Urey in the future. What effect this will have in the classroom remains to be seen but students, faculty and the public now know for certain that a creationist influence has been recognized at VCU. It is unfortunate that VCU has decided to take actions that suggest it is continuing to repress this concern, but it will be unlikely that the university can claim ignorance if the issue arises in the future. Therefore, VCU will be especially alert, as it should have been all along.

Although I lost my job, more progress was made in two weeks following this controversy than occurred in two years of the administration being aware of this problem.

Do I have any regrets? I wish I had put more effort into pressuring the university from within before I went to the press. However based on Dr. Holsworth's public statement that my concerns were "Absurd", I feel I would have gone to the press anyway.

And... I wish my jacket collar had been turned down in those photos!

Jim Sparks

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GrimJesta
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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

Biology - Evolution + Intelligent Design = Not Biology = Theology.

This should be a non-issue. Where's the outrage from the restof the scientific community? There's 70+ scientific organizations opposing ID, and a whopping 2 or 3 as the theory's proponents. Unless I missed one of the articles, the rest of the intellectua community is cool with people taking fat checks to accept bullshit non-theories as replacements for scientific facts.

-=Grim=-

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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

That university should lose accredation for any sort of science program for that shit.


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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

GrimJesta wrote:
Biology - Evolution + Intelligent Design = Not Biology = Theology.

This should be a non-issue. Where's the outrage from the restof the scientific community? There's 70+ scientific organizations opposing ID, and a whopping 2 or 3 as the theory's proponents. Unless I missed one of the articles, the rest of the intellectua community is cool with people taking fat checks to accept bullshit non-theories as replacements for scientific facts.

-=Grim=-

Money....we believe, although cannot prove, that the dean of the school is being heavily influenced by the xtian neocon legislators for the state.

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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

But is there no support for this guy from the scientific community? There's no ACLU or advocacy going on? I know money talks and all that, but there's got to be something that can be done. This isn't Iran. I think.

-=Grim=-

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LeftofLarry
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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

GrimJesta wrote:
But is there no support for this guy from the scientific community? There's no ACLU or advocacy going on? I know money talks and all that, but there's got to be something that can be done. This isn't Iran. I think.

-=Grim=-

Well he chose to not work there anymore, he could fight it. However, why would you want to work in a place where you are hated anyway. They would make life hell for him. What he's doing is using the media power now that he's no longer employed there. It gives him an upper hand.

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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

I don't mean to fight for keeping that job. I mean fight to retain credibility, draw attention to a flawed and possibly corrupt department, and rock the boat. Fight fire with fire, i.e. Money and Powerful Backers with Money and Powerful Backers.

-=Grim=-

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LeftofLarry
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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

GrimJesta wrote:
I don't mean to fight for keeping that job. I mean fight to retain credibility, draw attention to a flawed and possibly corrupt department, and rock the boat. Fight fire with fire, i.e. Money and Powerful Backers with Money and Powerful Backers.

-=Grim=-

I think he's taking the media route....

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My friend and biology professor at VCU got fired

That's usually a good route to go. Then again, even normally "middle ground" and "left" media outlets have been gunning for the "ultraconservative" look since it's in fashion to kiss ass. I knew the world was fucked once Glenn Beck popped up on CNN...

"Subversion" isn't the best word for it, but it's the one that comes to mind.

-=Grim=-

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Stuff like this just

Stuff like this just outrages me. Myself being a biology major, most of my classes are pure science. I had the pleasure of taking my first two years of college at my local community college, where all of my biology teachers were strict atheists. Thank god. For once, I wasn't the only guy in the room arguing against theism in support of science and rational thinking... I was actually supporting my teacher! Which rocked.

I know that if my teachers there ever had to use creationist-leaning matierals, the shit would hit the fan.

And that's how it should be. NO self-respecting science teacher should have to use sub-par materials, meaning those that actually give credibility to ID or, even worse, creationism.

But alas, money does talk. But it is only fitting for them. I mean... they believe that snakes and bushes can talk, so why not money? And money is what makes the world go 'round. Those that have it will flaunt it to get their opinions heard. In this case, the christians are using it to get their stupid ideas into science classrooms. Which is wrong.

Again, my worries are popping up in the back of my mind becasuse I'm taking my next two years at a christian university (le sigh). If any of this shit starts up, I'm going to have to transfer.

Every scientist in the world should be jumping to this guy's aid. As for this guy's collegues, they should be fucking ashamed of themselves. If their pricinples are so weak that they can be bought off for a little money, then they really didn't believe anything they said to begin with. I hate scientists that will accept faulty theories for money. It's despicable.

Death to creationsim. Viva La Evolution!

"I call Christianity the one great curse, the one great intrinsic depravity, the one great instinct of revenge, for which no means are venomous enough, or secret, subterranean and small enough - I call it the one immortal blemish upon the human race." -


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Indeed Matt-evolved, the

Indeed Matt-evolved, the reason why most of his collegues did not defend him, is because some are trying to get tenured and were afraid that if they went against the dean on this one, they'd never see tenure. It's easy for us, I think to speak..however when you life's work and your job is on the line....things change, the only person that spoke in defense of my friend was a tenured professor....needless to say, she's made enemies. The institution is not overtly pro-creations, but we believe that we are starting to be infiltrated by theists wiht a mission. It starts very subtly...but what kind of damage can this professor do? If in a biology class starts placing doubtful language regarding evolution?.

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EEK I'm a Forensic Science

EEK I'm a Forensic Science major but wow @ thinking of the comment in the other topic i left on this, I'm glad he was still thinking so positively, I wish the college changes their mind.

Quote:
Religion at BEST - is like a lift in your shoe. If you need it for a while, and it makes you walk straight and feel better - fine. But you don't need it forever, or you can become permanently disabled.

---George Carlin---