Just in time for Holy Week are many reports about a controversial incident at Florida Atlantic University in Davie, Florida. A professor there made his students literally stomp on paper after writing the name Jesus on it.
However, in reporting on this incident, national media neglected to mention that the professor is also vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party.
This detail was reported today by a popular and influential local business/political web site called Biz Pac Review.
A South Florida college professor’s bizarre classroom antics have made waves for their shocking display of religious intolerance. But they were even more instructive in educating the rest of us on the alarming thought process of yet another Palm Beach County Democratic leader.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) professor Deandre Poole instructed his intercultural communications class earlier this month to write the name “Jesus” on a piece of paper, then drop it on the floor and stomp on it.
One student, a devout Mormon, was so disturbed by the exercise that he complained to school officials, saying Poole had offended his religious convictions. The school responded by suspending the student from the class.
While the incident has made the news, the media has failed to report a key component of Poole’s resume: He is vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party. His recent actions add fire to an already-disturbing pattern of hate coming out of the local party.
The story has been widely reported in the last few days, including today on the Drudge Report. But Biz Pac Review was first to reveal the professor’s relation to the party of tolerance just in time for Palm Sunday.
Now just imagine if this professor instructed his students to stomp on a sheet of paper bearing the name of Mohammad. Let’s suppose, moreover, that a Muslim student became offended and then was suspended for going against his professor’s instructions. Finally, let’s imagine that the professor turned out to be vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party. Would there be riots in the streets? Would FAU be set aflame? Would this professor lose his job? “You betcha” is the correct answer to all of the above.
But according to WPEC (a local television station) here’s how the school responded to an inquiry about the situation:
Faculty and students at academic institutions pursue knowledge and engage in open discourse. While at times the topics discussed may be sensitive, a university environment is a venue for such dialogue and debate.
As I said, just in time for Holy Week, this incident will spark some outrage. But then it will vanish quietly as the professor continues teaching his Intercultural Communications class while holding the title of vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party.
What are the odds that during election time Professor Poole instructs his students to work for the Democrat party and earn class credit as part of their “intercultural communications” experience? Odds as high as the royal palms is my guess.
