Meanwhile, back at the Freedom of Speech ranch...Stanford University has a decision to make

The newest hotbutton free speech issue in higher education may be at Stanford University.  Should a student employee (a Resident Assistant or "RA") be dismissed for what some see as threatening comments to assault "Zionists" on Facebook?  The College Republicans and a campus Rabbi think so.  But, the administration appears to be taking the position that an apology is sufficient and some allies are condemning the College Republicans for unfairly implying the student is a violent Muslim...

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/08/01/calls-stanford-ra-be-fired-after-he-threatens-fight-zionists?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=776643576e-DNU_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-776643576e-197670105&mc_cid=776643576e&mc_eid=1afdbb538c

Would you care if this student were your son's/daughter's RA or not?  What can or should be done when an employee makes a comment that some find threatening or offensive?  When is an apology necessary or sufficient?


this is really not a free speech debate.  Threats aren't protected speech anywhere.  This is an issue of determining if the amendment to the original post eliminates its original threatening nature.  Or is the fact that the threat was there at all sufficient to discipline this person.


^This.  Pretty much puts Stanford into a tough position.  Only middle ground I see is letting him stay on as a student, but removing him from his RA role. 


I went to grad school at Stanford, and will consign all fundraising letters to the shredder if they tolerate a resident assistant who threatens other students. That is far outside of the hiring conditions for someone whose job is to help students adjust to college.


This is ridiculous.

Talk about snowflakes.

He didn't "threaten" anyone. He engaged in some angry hyperbole. Which he then apologized for.

Seriously...


drummerboy said:
This is ridiculous.
Talk about snowflakes.
He didn't "threaten" anyone. He engaged in some angry hyperbole. Which he then apologized for.

Seriously...

Would you want him to be your child’s Resident Assistant? 


susan1014 said:


drummerboy said:
This is ridiculous.
Talk about snowflakes.
He didn't "threaten" anyone. He engaged in some angry hyperbole. Which he then apologized for.

Seriously...
Would you want him to be your child’s Resident Assistant? 

I don't know. I don't know the man, but I would base that decision on a lot more than one fairly innocuous FB post.


Regardless of the particular issue he's passionate about, he didn't show the level of maturity and judgement that an RA should have. 


Amazing to me how people haven't gotten the message. One wrong-headed tweet or post can derail a career or a life, and if you work for a company or organization, throw some taint on them as well. It's really not that complicated. 


drummerboy said:
This is ridiculous.
Talk about snowflakes.
He didn't "threaten" anyone. He engaged in some angry hyperbole. Which he then apologized for.

Seriously...

the original post said literally that he would physically fight "Zionists."  If I was in school and I saw that my RA was ready to physically fight liberals, I'd be a little intimidated.


Not innocuous. A credible threat that didn’t come across as hyperbole. Consequences ensue.

Partial disclosure: I’m the parent of a student who holds Stanford in the same regard that I hold Duke. (Sorry, susan1014.)


apple44 said:
Amazing to me how people haven't gotten the message. One wrong-headed tweet or post can derail a career or a life, and if you work for a company or organization, throw some taint on them as well. It's really not that complicated. 

Or you can become president.


dave23 said:


apple44 said:
Amazing to me how people haven't gotten the message. One wrong-headed tweet or post can derail a career or a life, and if you work for a company or organization, throw some taint on them as well. It's really not that complicated. 
Or you can become president.

For Trump, that behavior makes more sense - it's incredibly hard for a U.S. president to be "fired," a lot of his base loves the tweets, and they distract from other issues he wants hidden. For most people working for or associated with a company or organization, publicly saying something stupid or offensive is going to have a bad ending for you, one which is completely preventable.


apple44 said:


dave23 said:

apple44 said:
Amazing to me how people haven't gotten the message. One wrong-headed tweet or post can derail a career or a life, and if you work for a company or organization, throw some taint on them as well. It's really not that complicated. 
Or you can become president.
For Trump, that behavior makes more sense - it's incredibly hard for a U.S. president to be "fired," a lot of his base loves the tweets, and they distract from other issues he wants hidden. For most people working for or associated with a company or organization, publicly saying something stupid or offensive is going to have a bad ending for you, one which is completely preventable.

I was being a bit snarky, of course. I just think we've come to a point of no tolerance for mistakes or immaturity. Should this person be an RA? Probably not. Should he be publicly humiliated and shoved into the Outrage Machine? No. 


It seems like an employee/employer situation. As a resident adviser, he's an employee of Stanford.  Did he violate the terms of employment?

Free speech is not necessarily protected at places of employment.  It differs depending on whether the employer is private or public. I don't know which one Stanford would be in this case, since they received government funding. 


Maybe they're out there, but I'm surprised there aren't more #MeToo harassment stories coming out of higher ed. Grad students relying on powerful professors, unfortunately it's the environment for that type of behavior. USC is one, a few at Columbia U. Instead, most stories seem to be about costs, outrageous tweets and Asians not getting into Harvard.


Forgive my ignorance, but I missed out on the dorm experience.

I had presumed that RAs were grad students; or at least older undergraduates.

Please advise me on the age/status of RAs in our current environment.

Thanks for any help.

TomR


Tom_R said:

Please advise me on the age/status of RAs in our current environment.

The subject of the article is going to be a junior. RAs in my day, the early and mid-’80s, were juniors or seniors and oversaw floors, not entire dorms. (Grad students either lived in family housing or rented apartments/houses.)

Details on Stanford’s RA program: 

https://resed.stanford.edu/get-involved/student-staff-selection/position-types-and-compensation/resident-assistants


A buddy was an RA at a NY school. Junior and Senior year. Demonstrates leadership abilities, kindness, reassurance, compassion towards incoming freshmen. They also receive free or very much reduced room & board. 


An excerpt from that Stanford page on RA responsibilities:

  • RAs/CAs are expected to create residential environments that enhance student academic progress and success; to promote the intellectual life of the residence; to create opportunities for students to explore and clarify their interests, values, and attitudes; to build inclusive and reflective environments in which differences of background and belief are explored; to provide personal and academic advice and referral; to participate in house activities; to know and explain University policies; to be available to students; and to encourage student responsibility and accountability.

He would seem to have an issue then. 


My freshman year RA way back when was a senior.  My SA sophomore year was a grad student.  Their primary activities then (as I hear substantially now) were alcohol patrol, roommate remediation, and floor superintendent. I suspect that wasn’t what was stated in the guidelines then or now, however.   


ctrzaska said:

Their primary activities then (as I hear substantially now) were alcohol patrol, roommate remediation, and floor superintendent.

If a roommate needs remediation, in my experience there’s only so much that can be done.



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