Journalism won’t die if you donate. Support Voice of San Diego today!
Sunday, June 10, 2007 | I read with some sadness your recent article about the Art Institute in San Diego. The refusal of the school to have an open and collegial relationship with its faculty and to engage in union busting does not enhance the reputation of the school or the administration. I believe that allowing the faculty to have more of a voice in governance and a more stable connection to the institute would only increase the faculty’s commitment professionalization to the benefit of their students. However, what was most disturbing was to read the comments about the allegations against Professor Campbell. The fact that what were likely meant as innocent remarks, intended to be funny, should be used to engineer his removal is the real tragedy. I don’t know how anyone who is a spontaneous human being can teach anymore. I would guess that most good teachers with a sense of humor make mistakes in a classroom sometimes. That this can then be used against them whenever the institute wants is a real tragedy and a form of McCarthyism. I would guess that if Professor Campbell had said something in his class that offended one of his students, that the student could have spoken up then or even after class and Professor Campbell would have apologized and explained himself to them. I am sure there would have been no repercussions to the student. However, instead of confronting and challenging the statement when it is made and create dialogue that is an essential part of education they lay down the charges in secret. The repercussions then are that a good teacher is lost and no one is better for it. That is the real tragedy.