Extra Credit for Flag Burning at Univ. of Maine

Hat tip to The Influence Peddler for the lead on this story.
by Toni-Lynn Robbins, Bangor Daily News: On the first day of class, associate professor Paul Grosswiler offered the credit to members of his History of Mass Communications class, according to sophomore Rebekah McDade. Disturbed by the comment, McDade dropped the class and intends to take the course again next semester with a different professor. "I was offended," McDade said Friday. "I come from a family of military men and women, and the flag and Constitution are really important symbols to me because of my family background."

In an e-mail responding to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News on Friday, Grosswiler said he thought McDade misunderstood the class discussion, which was intended to elicit thought about the First Amendment. He said he has held this same discussion for years without incident. "I don’t intend for students to burn either the Constitution or the flag, and over the years hundreds of students have understood that," Grosswiler wrote. . . .

When Grosswiler listed the extra-credit opportunities, McDade said the class of approximately 50 students grew very quiet, and some questioned whether he was serious. At first, student Kathleen Dame said she thought Grosswiler was joking, but then he went on to explain to the class that burning the flag was not illegal. While Grosswiler approached the topic in a serious manner, Dame said she felt he used it as a tool to educate the class on the First Amendment. "It was pretty outlandish and [he was] trying to prove a point," Dame said Friday. . . . [Read More] Note: The Leadership Institute, a Virginia-based nonprofit organization has a mission to identify, recruit, train and place conservatives in politics, government and the media. A field representative met McDade when she shared her experience and expressed an interest in spearheading a group "Students for Academic Freedom." The group’s initial goal will be to convince UM to enact a "Student Bill of Rights" which would protect students from professors who treat and grade students differently based on religious or political beliefs.

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