Via the AP: Yahoo! News – Colo. Teacher Kicks Student for GOP Shirt

Fort Lewis College student Mark O’Donnell said he was showing people his College Republicans sweat shirt, which said “Work for us now … or work for us later,” when Maria Spero kicked him in the leg at an off-campus restaurant.

Spero then said “she should have kicked me harder and higher,” said O’Donnell. “To physically take that out on someone because you disagree with them, that is completely wrong.”

[...]

Spero, a visiting instructor of modern languages, apologized to O’Donnell in a letter dated Oct. 29.

“I acted entirely inappropriately by kicking you, giving vent to a thoughtless knee-jerk [literally--Ed.] political reaction that should never have happened,” she wrote. “Before the incident, I did not know you and that you are a Fort Lewis student.” [Would it have been better had the guy not been a student?-Ed.]

A hint to Ms. Spero: it is hard to turn that visiting instructor position into a tenure-track one when one goes around kicking students.

4 Responses to “Please Don’t Kick the Students”

1. Steven L Says:
   October 31st, 2024 at 11:55 am

   “A hint to Ms. Spero: it is hard to turn that visiting instructor position into a tenure-track one when one goes around kicking students.”

   Depends on the University, surely: I think there are quite a few schools where kicking a republican student would get you into tenure track easily.

2. Steven Taylor Says:
   October 31st, 2024 at 1:45 pm

   Ye hath a point.

3. Michael Says:
   November 2nd, 2024 at 2:35 am

   First of all the student Mark O’Donnell was invading the professor’s space. Second of all it had nothing to do with his lousy republican shirt which says “join us now or work for us later.” The student waited four days to complain to the police after contacting the Republican National Committee. This is the true story. She is an honest and good teacher. He invaded her personal space and kicked him out of the way. Do not post without a cause and at first it had nothing to do with that stupid republican shirt.

   Regards,
   Michael

4. Steven Taylor Says:
   November 2nd, 2024 at 7:56 am

   Michael,

   1) I am just posting a story fromt he Associated Press, so it isn’t like I making it up as I go.

   2) My comments are tongue-in-cheek.

   3) Speaking as a professor, I would state that kicking someone, unless being threatened, probably isn’t a good idea.

   4) Thanks for adding information.

   S