• Transcribe
  • Translate

Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972

1972-03-23 Press-Citizen Article: 'UI Hearing For Student Rescheduled'

More information
  • digital collection
  • archival collection guide
  • transcription tips
 
Saving...
Cites Law Against Meeting Disruption To the Editor: Midst all the anguished cries that the principle of ''academic freedom'' were violated when visiting Harvard Professor Richard Herrnstein was prevented from speaking in Iowa City by members of an SDS front organization, one additional simple fact should be borne in mind: the disruption of the meeting was against the law. Section 744.2 of the Iowa Code (1971) provides in pertinent part: ... If any person ... willfully disturb or interrupt any school, school meeting ... or other lawful assembly of persons, he shall be punished by imprisonment in the country jail not more than thirty days, or by fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. Query: Will U of I president Willard Boyd (an attorney who should know the law) and the others who spoke in such shocked terms now please put their actions where their collective mouths are and see that the local participants in that illegal act are dealt with according to the law? Or were all those flowery phrases merely more hypocritical examples of a school administration's refusal, when the chips are down, to take even the most minimal legal steps necessary to protect itself and the students against the continued concerted direct attacks upon academic freedom by groups whose purpose is the politicization of our universities? - Chad Thomas Meyer, Rt.2, Sherrill, Ia. 52001 UI Hearing For Student Rescheduled A university of Iowa student charged with ''aiding and abetting'' the Students for Democratic Society to use UI facilities while the group was suspended from campus has had a hearing on the university charges rescheduled to April 7. His hearing originally was scheduled for today. The student, Simom J. Piller, was charged after the university determined that the Worker-Student Alliance Action Group, which attempted to confront Harvard psychologist Richard Herrnstein at a lecture here Feb. 25, was ''another name for the SDS.'' The university accuses Piller of ''misrepresenting'' the fact that SDS and the Worker-Student Alliance are the same group when obtaining use of university facilities for the group. Piller conteds that the university was aware that the groups were the same, but that action was taken only after widespread dismay was expressed over Herrnstein's refusal to speak before a griup of SDS challengers. Piller has said he intends to seek an open been scheduled for 11 a.m. April 7 at the Johnson County Courthouse.
 
Campus Culture