The Shocking Case of Bruce Le Blanc

When you enroll in a public institution that subscribes to the principles of academic freedom and tenure, you in effect enter into a contract to uphold those principles, even if you are made uncomfortable. Being uncomfortable is part of becoming educated. In Ed's words,

The fact that you don't like those ideas is, frankly, tough. If you haven't run into ideas that you don't like, you haven't been educated at all.

Oh, wait, there are special rules for some people. There are special rules for Bob Stotler, who is 30 years old. He saw things and heard things in an introduction to sociology class taught at a community college that made him uncomfortable, so he complained. He claimed, althought the professor had used the teaching method in years past, that the method was aimed personally at himself, Bob Stotler.

He complained in a clever way--he also carried his complaint to the fundamentalist Christian voice on the web, BEFORE the complaints were fully worked through the complaints procedures.

Now, the nature of this complaint wasn't like John Bonnell, who essentially was persecuted by his institution for teaching James Joyce well. Or maybe it is. Bruce LeBlanc is being punished for--logophobia. Or teaching sociology.

(Oh, wait, in Idaho high schools there are special books, too.)

Black Hawk College is a public, two-year, community college in Illinois (one of 49 such). One course, Sociology 100 (introduction), promises to among other things, prompts us to question the customary.

There are a team of professors who teach the Soc100 class, all from a common curriculum. The
class description reads in part:

The primary value of sociology is its "liberating" nature; it helps expand the "self" as it frees us from preconceptions and prejudice. Sociology helps to open our minds to the deceptively familiar world of social arrangements.  It prompts us to question the customary.  It encourages us to entertain alternatives.  It makes us aware that our personal experience is but a sample of the more general human experience.

In other words, whatever your beliefs are, prepare to have them challenged.

Let me refresh your memory about college classrooms. One end usually is wall-to-wall blackboards (or whiteboards, these days). One day (probably early 2004, since the semester starts in January), in the intro to sociology class, the professor (who is a priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Church ) alerted his students that the day's lesson was on power of symbols. He asked the students (many of whom are older than the 18-21 age group) to be aware of their reactions, and be prepared to discuss them.

The professor then wrote FUCK on one side of of the blackboard, and then walking all the way across the room, wrote GOD on the other side of the room. The discussion then turn to how these seven letters could engender strong feeling. That's all. He wrote two words, and invited the class to consider them in juxtaposition.

One adult in the class--not a callow youth of 18, but a grown man of 30--was so offended by these two words on the wall that he "couldn't concentrate."

Within 6 weeks, this event--the "harassment" of "Born Again Christian was being broadcast by Agape Press.

Press releases from Agape here and here.

This student, Bob Stotler, claims that LeBlanc--who had used the exercise many times since he joined the public community college in 1991--was aiming the exercise specifically at him, Bob Stotler, and that the use of this particular lesson, plus a discussion of homosexuality, constituted "harassment" under the community college's code.

But Stotler does not feel the university should be so nonchalant about it. "I believe Dr. LeBlanc should not teach again, ideally," he says. "I would like to see him sanctioned until the investigation goes forward and until they interview the rest of the class. And if it really happened the way I said, I believe the man should lose his job."

Stotler, who has dropped LeBlanc's class, says Black Hawk College refuses to take disciplinary action against the professor for his outrageous behavior. The student believes the school is afraid to fire LeBlanc because he is a homosexual.

Two things:

1. Remember this is the intro to sociology class--you are supposed to think abut things you've never thought about before. Otherwise it wouldn't be sociology.

2. I wonder how Stotler got connected with the Agape Press propoganda machine.

At any rate, BHC has the standard harassment-resolution mechanism, which ground LeBlanc up in this instance.

LeBlanc's teaching method is of course completely misrepresented by the Christian propoganda machine, which has mastered various elements of the Big Lie technique:

World Net Daily misrepresents the facts as follows:

BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS: Teacher to class: 'F--- God'

The Great Separation repeats the lie that this intellectual challenge was harassment aimed at a particular student:

They hate you because of me - You need to swing by and read this report on WorldNetDaily™. It's evidence of intolerance for Christians in America's colleges.

Professor Bruce LeBlanc at Black Hawk College put the curse word and the Lord's name up on two black boards in an apparent attempt to offend student Bob Stotler.

Reclaim America repeats the news that the administration found that LeBlanc was "harassing" Stotler (note: administrations are not always correct), and invites readers to:

Take Action!

Contact Black Hawk College and thank them for working to protect students of faith from ridicule at the hands of professors. The school can be reached at (309) 796-5000.

The Catholic League claims that the lesson was an example of LeBlanc's hate for Christians (oh, oops, LeBlanc's a practicing Christian of a break-away Catholic sect; he's the worship leader Wonder if that has anything to do with the Catholic League position?).

The good news is, the local paper didn't fall for the shrill propoganda bleat. Or at least, one of the columnists didn't: on two occasions

Although LeBlanc has used the same exercise in other sociology classes, one student somehow managed to convince a college advisory committee that it was directed specifically at him. After all, the 30-year-old student claims, the professor realized he is politically and religiously conservative and was only trying to harass him. As more evidence, the student pointed out LeBlanc also has discussed homosexuality in his sociology class.

A majority of the people who commented on the Sunday column weren’t quite as indignant as the Canadian reader, but most could see the ridiculousness of the situation. After learning LeBlanc is a retired pastor, has a doctorate degree in education and is enormously committed to trying to open minds, most people got the picture.

“No one could possibly be more offended and incensed over the epidemic use of the (“F”) word than I, but I am amazed anyone could get into college with a mentality unable to understand the professor’s intent,” one said.

The QuadCity Times also saw fit to publish one letter to the editor in support of Professor LeBlanc

I am writing in regards to the recent professional and personal attacks on Dr. Bruce LeBlanc. I am appalled by the lack of support offered to this devout individual from the community and school he has served for many years. Professor LeBlanc freely admits that his existential methods often provoke a reaction. That is precisely his intent, and from this reaction he accentuates the learning process. He provides his students with valuable academic information, as well as encouraging independent thinking.

I urge you to open your minds. LeBlanc is a talented, professional educator with many diverse skills. He has numerous degrees, including a Doctorate in education. Furthermore, it should be noted that Dr. LeBlanc is a dedicated man of God. He is a Bishop in the Ecumenical Catholic Church and is passionate about his ministry. His recent controversial lecture did not reflect his personal beliefs, but rather offered insight to sociology, which is defined as the study of human behavior. His lessons are as versatile as he is, and appropriate for the classes he instructs.

The majority of students know of Professor LeBlanc before they enroll in his class. His reputation and unorthodox teaching methods are what draw students in. Any disciplinary actions or constrains imposed would be a great injustice to potential students, overall academic freedom, and Professor LeBlanc himself. He is an asset to this community and has a great deal to offer his students.

Johnna D. Kay

So Ms. Kay is saying, If you don't want to be challenged, enroll in one of the other eleven sections of Soc100. LeBlanc's Going to Shake You Up.

In 2002, the Black Hawk College administration was in better mental form:

Colleges and universities are a marketplace of ideas, and a long-cherished concept of academic freedom keeps that marketplace going, local educators say.

Another thing that is a little scary to me is the response on some of the boards, like the Got Apex board where the posters don't realize how slanted the World Net Daily piece is.

Another scary piece is that I haven't seen any of the other sociologists commenting on the LeBlanc reprimand. Maybe they were on vacation.

Update Ed as usual gets it right:

Anyone going to college is going to run into ideas they disagree with, don't like, even are offended by. I suspect this is particularly true of fundamentalist Christians. You can't take a basic science class without learning about evolution and the evidence for the age of the earth and universe. In a philosophy course you're going to run into Nietzsche and Hegel and Hume, among many others; in a history course you're going to learn about Voltaire and Thomas Paine, influential figures who rejected Christianity; in a sociology course, you're going to have to deal with various ideas about how religions interact with each other and with other cultural institutions. The fact that you don't like those ideas is, frankly, tough. If you haven't run into ideas that you don't like, you haven't been educated at all.

Comments

[Katherine]

'The fact that you don't like those ideas is, frankly, tough. If you haven't run into ideas that you don't like, you haven't been educated at all.'

I think that says it all. Reading this post I think my jaw has literally dropped to the floor. Makes me wonder how long it will be before this kind of nonsense crops up in the UK.

[Julie]

Hello,

My name is Julie and currently I am a student of Dr.Le Blanc. I have just recently found out about this outlandish accusation brought against him. I must say that I am quite outraged. Le Blanc is a great professor. He forces his students to think and anaylze what they have grown up to believe is right and wrong. Bob is apparently a selfish and ignorant man, probably full of himself. While I wasn't there and don't know for sure. I can at least say from my experience is his class thus far, that Dr. Le Blanc has in no way ever directed anything towards one person. Yes, he calls people out to answer questions, but they have the opportunity to opt out. He doesn't force anyone to do what they don't want. I cannot comprehend how writing Fuck God on two seperate white boards was directed towards one person. Perhaps, Bob is the one who should be on trial. Perhaps he is biased against homosexuals. If Le Blanc's teaching license is revoked and he loses his job, it will be a sad and horrible thing for the learning community.