A Professor Sues His Students
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On bad days, there are no doubt plenty of professors who have joked about suing students. But it is pretty rare that somebody actually does so. A law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has—and the ramifications could extend well beyond his dispute.
Richard J. Peltz is suing two students who are involved in the university’s chapter of the Black Law Student Association, the association itself, and another individual who is affiliated with a black lawyers’ group. Peltz charges them with defamation, saying that his comments about affirmative action were used unfairly to accuse him of racism in a way that tarnished his reputation.
{snip}
The dispute over Peltz concerns his opposition to affirmative action—and how he expressed it. Complicating matters is that no one who was present when the statements were actually made is discussing them. Those Peltz sued did not respond to messages, and he was willing to e-mail only a very general discussion of what happened. In examples of the defamatory material that were submitted with his suit, however, the view of the black student organization about his actions becomes clear.
In a memo sent to Charles Goldner, dean of the law school, the students accuse Peltz of engaging in a “rant” about affirmative action, of saying that affirmative action helps “unqualified black people,” of displaying a satirical article from The Onion about the death of Rosa Parks, of allowing a student to give “incorrect facts” about a key affirmative action case, of passing out a form on which he asked for students’ name and race and linking this form to grades, and of denigrating black students in a debate about affirmative action, among other charges.
The student memo said that the organization had “no problem with the difference of opinion about affirmative action,” but that Peltz’s actions were “hateful and inciting speech” and were used “to attack and demean the black students in class.”
The black student group demanded that Peltz be “openly reprimanded,” that he be barred from teaching constitutional law “or any other required course where black students would be forced to have him as a professor,” that the university mention in his personnel file that he is unable “to deal fairly with black students,” and that he be required to attend diversity training.
While Peltz in an e-mail said he could not discuss the case in detail, he suggested—as have his supporters—that the accusations that he was unfair to black students were a misrepresentation of his criticism of affirmative action. For example, he said that he was invited by the Black Law Students Association to debate affirmative action and to take the anti- position.
And while not relating this action directly to what is described in the suit, he wrote the following by e-mail about what may be the form asking for students’ race. “Unrelated to the debate and in the ordinary course of my Constitutional Law class in the fall of 2005, I taught the usual and scheduled material on affirmative action. To stimulate discussion, I presented students with an exercise by handing out a adapted version of the form that the Arkansas state government uses to hire personnel. All students were offered credit to participate. Responding to skeptical student questions, I argued in favor of affirmative action. My teaching method spurred a productive class discussion.”
After Peltz filed the suit, he was removed from teaching all required courses—a fact that the university confirmed but declined to explain, saying that it related both to personnel issues and litigation. {snip}
Goldner pledged to continue to work to create a “diverse and inclusive community.”
{snip}
  Richard J. Peltz |
(Posted on April 30, 2008)
Comments
Another White man that is being attacked by the American PC Jugernaut. I wish him all the best. Maybe he is a subscriber to AmRen?
Posted by Howard in Las Vegas at 6:10 PM on April 30
God bless Professor Peltz! More whites should stand up to these bullies.
Posted by at 6:12 PM on April 30
It looks like Prof. Peltz is fighting the PC Posse with their own weapons.
Posted by BAW at 6:15 PM on April 30
I wish this professor good luck because he’s going to need it; however I also think that we are finally coming back to our senses as Americans. While he still faces long odds, they’re not as hopeless as they were fifteen years ago.
Posted by Jacqui in AZ at 6:30 PM on April 30
“For example, he said that he was invited by the Black Law Students Association to debate affirmative action and to take the anti- position.”
“To debate?” I can imagine what that would amount to: A bunch of sub-standard blacks, thinking they’re superior, countering anything said by the professor with nonsense that would be considered as such by anyone with half a brain, with the exception, of course, of the blacks in attendance.
What I would like to see is a law suit that, as a part of discovery, forces blacks in a class to take elementary level tests which would reveal that they’ve been admitted but are unqualified to be there. Then another suit, holding the administrative geeks culpable for discrimination of whites who score higher, but were not admitted.
Posted by ice at 6:50 PM on April 30
“For example, he said that he was invited by the Black Law Students Association to debate affirmative action and to take the anti- position.”
“To debate?” I can imagine what that would amount to: A bunch of sub-standard blacks, thinking they’re superior, countering anything said by the professor with nonsense that would be considered as such by anyone with half a brain, with the exception, of course, of the blacks in attendance.
What I would like to see is a law suit that, as a part of discovery, forces blacks in a class to take elementary level tests which would reveal that they’ve been admitted but are unqualified to be there. Then another suit, holding the administrative geeks culpable for discrimination of whites who scored higher, but were not admitted.
Posted by ice at 6:52 PM on April 30
“In a memo sent to Charles Goldner, dean of the law school, the students accuse Peltz of engaging in a “rant” about affirmative action, of saying that affirmative action helps “unqualified black people,”
Peltz is right no black person with a sense of dignity and self-respect would engage in the morally corrupt scheme to get special treatment based on their skin color at the expense of others. There may have been a time when it was needed but it has become a demon that is wrecking havoc on society. When I look around and see some people who by way of their skin color are professors at Harvard, Columbia, NYU and other schools today it makes me wanna holler…because one by one these people share the views that want to turn America into a socialist utopia. Some of them would like it to look like Cuba…(brrr)…and we all know that they do that by way of the courts. So stay on it Peltz….
Posted by Lisette at 7:04 PM on April 30
Those students should be happy they are not in Colorado. Out here, libel is not merely a tort, but a state felony.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 7:27 PM on April 30
I’m actually interested in how this case turns out. I hope the prof. wins. It would be good to see the blacks lose a case like this. They’re due to lose. Can’t win all the time.
Tom Iron…
Posted by Tom Iron... at 8:22 PM on April 30
As a college instructor, I can attest that from time to time groups of black students will pick out particular white instructors to “mess with”, hoping to provoke an incident to use against them to claim that the instructor is a bigot. Fortunately, this is generally done in such a clumsy and obviously self-serving way, and in front of so many witnesses, that it seldom gets far.
If those students would expend a tenth the effort to their schoolwork that they devote to bothering people, they might go far in their chosen areas of study.
I hope the good professor sues those bums for plenty, and wins.
Posted by Kevin at 9:34 PM on April 30
I hope this professor wins his case…..about time someone fought against….racism against the whites…could this be the start of something good??? I certainly hope so!!
Posted by lydia at 9:34 PM on April 30
Good for this guy! If enough whites stand up and refuse to be taken for a ride by the racist shake down artists this kind of thing can be stopped. If blacks can say things like only whites can be racists and all whites are racist then we can sue for a hostile work environment.
Posted by Spartan24 at 10:07 PM on April 30
Richard J. Peltz is suing two students who are involved in the university’s chapter of the Black Law Student Association, the association itself, and another individual who is affiliated with a black lawyers’ group. Peltz charges them with defamation, saying that his comments about affirmative action were used unfairly to accuse him of racism in a way that tarnished his reputation.
The chapter of the Black Fascist Lawless moron association is more like it! The associations name is enough to explain the meaning of this august body of depraved Black hypocrites; they have become empowered by the administration to decide how white people should think.
We have only ourselves to blame when this illusion of Civil rights and “treat me like I am no different” hogwash movement began in the 1960’s. The monster of Black supremacy coming from a group of half witted blacks who are probably at this institution of lower leaning due to affirmative action is what was created.
Posted by Ezekiel at 10:24 PM on April 30
A courageous professor and I only hope he gets a judge not appointed by a Democrat.
Posted by Frank at 10:28 PM on April 30
Since there is no recorded evidence of what he said in class, the evidence will have to be sworn affidavits of the students who attend.
The contents of those affidavits will reflect, to a great extent, how the students feel about the subject matter, and about the professor.
If they agreed with the professor, then they will support him by saying that his work was professional and appropriate. If they personally think he’s a jerk, they might all gang up on him.
Posted by Reader-1 at 10:38 PM on April 30
Another, in a long list of victims created by the liberals insane obsession with racists,who might be lurking around every bush in the United States and elswhere. Usually though it’s only the U.S. and Western nations their interested in causing chaos in.
Posted by Bobby at 11:11 PM on April 30
Very Good, This is a nation of law and Mr. Peltz is a professor of law, who believes he’s been wronged at varience with law.. He displays audacity ….let the show begin…let people be held accountable for they’re slanderous words, or let him concede he himself was wrong. It is time to draw some lines in the sand. When people allow themselves to be silenced in speaking what they believe truths that need to be told, they have made the first step of subservience/slavery, self betrayal. Who will not defend his freedom is unworthy of freedom.
Posted by Petrarch at 12:01 AM on May 1
Of course the purpose of affirmative action is to help unqualified black people (and unqualified Hispanics). Qualified black people don’t need it.
Goldner pledged to continue to work to create a “diverse and inclusive community.”
Inclusive my ass. Goldner wants to exclude as many white people as possible, and certainly doesn’t want to include Jared Taylor in any debates.
Posted by WR the elder at 1:47 AM on May 1
The problem is the university that admits substandard Blacks. And now the ABA will deny accreditation to law schools that lack large quotas of minorities. When teaching the substandard group, whom you cannot identify as such, one is expected to pretend that they are just as good as those who were admitted on merit. If you state that as a group they are not up to standard, if you give them the lower grades they deserve, you are exposing the politically correct lied demanded by the university administrators, the ABA, and the fed EEOC. Bush had nearly 8 yours to end affirmative action and curb the EEOC. What has Bush done? What will McCain do?———-HM
Posted by at 5:03 AM on May 1
I don’t understand how a group of students can be accepted into a law school, but be so dense that you don’t realize that A.A. promotes unqualified recipients.
Posted by abc at 6:21 AM on May 1
Bravo! This nonsense will only stop when white people stand up for their rights and fight back. There is a science fiction novel called “With Folded Hands” about humanity being taken over by robots because no one is willing to fight back. Will we be taken over by the Multi-Cultis’?
Posted by at 6:34 AM on May 1
“I don’t understand how a group of students can be accepted into a law school, but be so dense that you don’t realize that A.A. promotes unqualified recipients.”
A.A. is not about double-standards it’s about different standards. Besides, according the undergratuate schools these kids come from Affirmative Action is proof that blacks are being discriminated against.
Posted by at 1:18 PM on May 1
Good for this guy, this is the kind of action that is needed. Black people that yelp “racism” over every slight with the intention hurting whites professionaly should be made to prove it in a court of law.
Posted by Proudinfidel at 3:42 PM on May 1
Do black people realize the condenscension that goes behind the theory of affirmative action?
If they did they would be deeply insulted. Instead they demand it.
Posted by Dennis at 3:45 PM on May 1
Unfortunately for this professor, these “students” very likely own nothing more valuable than a collection of CDs he wouldn’t want to listen to. The unnamed individual “associated with a black lawyers’ group” is likely the real target.
The refusal by Peltz to follow the script was probably quite a suprise to his slanderers. I wish I could have seen their faces when they were served the lawsuit papers.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 4:10 PM on May 1
When all else fails, file a lawsuit! It’s a shame that we need to resort to this tactic to protect ourselves. Very sad indeed.
Posted by at 9:30 PM on May 1
Constantly look for ways to sue them all.
Posted by at 11:19 AM on May 3
Yes! Hitting academia in the wallet is the only thing they understand. The real bulk of the zeal and push for multiculturalism comes from those who are jumping on the convenience train, doing it to promote their career. When they are forced into losing money and jobs over their hypocritical nonsense they will think twice.
Posted by Student at 4:45 PM on May 3