CU Prof pulls knife on student

[hasbro]

Michael Kanner has acknowledged that he became emotional during a conversation with the student Nov. 11 — Veterans Day — in his International Affairs 1000 class. When the student expressed dismay over the holiday because she said it condoned violence, Kanner threw her backpack across the room and pulled out a 1-inch pen knife from his shirt pocket, he has admitted. He then asked if she would use violence to protect herself against the knife.

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/buffzone_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2448_3339961,00.html

The prof in question is a 16 Army vet and West Point Graduate.

I can take issue with the student's stance, but this is out of bounds.

Given that he is a conservative it will be interesting to see how Horowitz and Andrews spin this. Ignore the incident, call the prof a liberal or paint him as the victim?

I don't think either said anything about the Greeley student who got his computer seized and charged with libel.

[d_b]

1. What a freak

[SaintAnne]

2. knife

what kind of lunatic teacher carries a knife to school in his pocket? it's not big, but he could still hurt someone. What a whacked man, get him to the pharmacy, he needs his meds

[Buzz Clik]

7. Let's not get carried away...

I have a longer "blade" on my toenail clippers.

[mark414]

10. it was a pen knife

a LOT of people carry them, swiss army knives, etc. etc. etc.

if he pulled out a gun, then i might call him a lunatic. but a pen knife? not even close.

[Journeyman]

3. Another argument to revert the holiday to Armistice Day. . .

n/t

[serryjw]

4. Confused?

I can take issue with the student's stance, but this is out of bounds.
:shrug: :shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

The f*cken prof s/b fired. There is no excuse for his behavior

[hasbro]

6. I don't see Vets' Day as a glorification of violence

Know the real roots would be a nice thing to pass to our children since it was to mourn the loss of a generation in a more horrific than usual war.

However, the student should be able to express her opinion without an authority figure threating to shank her.

[serryjw]

8. NOW we agree!

[Algorem]

5. She could have been armed,he should've preemptively cut her long and

deep.It's the American way,now.

[Buzz Clik]

9. Good question

Your quote:

"Given that he is a conservative it will be interesting to see how Horowitz and Andrews spin this. Ignore the incident, call the prof a liberal or paint him as the victim?

The number of conservatives in academia has been growing steadily, but Horowitz would give you the impression that every university was a socialist enclave. One thing is certain: this incident will not be acknowledged by the right as a mistake or any indication that "moral clarity" is simply bullshit.

[mark414]

11. give the guy a break

granted i wasn't there, none of us were.

first, it was a one inch pen knife. that is NOTHING. millions of people carry those. second, there is nothing that says that the professor was in her face with the knife or anything. for all we know he could've been 20 feet away.

basically all i'm saying is don't judge the guy until you get all the facts, or unless you were there. yes he overreacted but he shouldn't be demonized. he probably feels pretty stupid about this right now and he probably had no intention whatsoever of harming the student. this is not to excuse what he did but rather just to call attention to the fact that he was making a point, albeit he a very dramatic and stupid way to make a point.

[hasbro]

12. Some more info

http://coloradodaily.com/articles/2004/11/18/news/news01.txt

"The CU-Boulder student whose in-class comments against violence triggered a professor to throw her backpack and hold a pen knife to her throat said Thursday she does not want the professor to face any professional repercussions."

Sounds pretty bad. To her credit she's willing to forgive.

If the tables were turned (like in the Libel situation at UNC) Horowitz and Andrews would be screaming bloody murder. Whore is currently whining about some college papers not taking his ads as is their right.

[RobertDevereaux]

13. Here's what I sent and their reply...

WHAT I SENT (Nov 20th):
Dear Ms. Hoffman:

I've just read the account of Michael Kanner pulling a pen knife on a student in the classroom. This man is a disgrace to the university and ought to be fired at once. Please do that. I speak as an outraged Coloradoan and as the father of a daughter who will be college-aged in a few years. UC has so many strong points, but this man belongs nowhere near a classroom.

Thank you,

THE REPLY (Nov 24):
Dear Mr. Devereaux,

Your recent email regarding Michael Kanner has been forwarded to me. On behalf of the University of Colorado and the College of Arts and Sciences, I want to thank you for your concern. We greatly appreciate your commitment to the welfare and success of the University community.

Sincerely,
Joyce M. Nielsen
Associate Dean for Social Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Colorado