After the Kent State Shootings: Bowling Green State University's Reaction

RE: YOUR TRUSTEESHIP OF TAXPAYERS PROPERTY

This writer as well as a great many people with whom we have discussed the sub-
ject matter are quite concerned about the small minority of student activities
which disrupt the rights of other students to acquire an education.

You as a trustee of property belonging to the taxpayers of this state are respon-
sible, for the protection from destruction of that property as well as other
students interfering with the rights of their fellow students to acquire an
education without interference. In fact, it is the duty of the Attorney General
for the State of Ohio to bring action against those school officals who fail in
their trusteeship pertaining to both property and students.

lt is further your duty to eliminate faculty members who advocate or teach matters
foreign or contrary to the American system.

We believe academic freedom ends where foreign or communistic ideas and ideology
begin which are contrary to the American system.

Those who wish to have studies foreign to the American system should go to that
country for study, African students and others come to this country to study
about American principles, the greatest system of principles that we know of on
this planet. Generally, those with whom we come in contact feel that students
who wish to have African studies or studies of other countries should be counseled
to go to that country to do their studing. It is felt that there is absolutely
no valid or legitimate reason for any subjects to be taught foreign to our
American system.

We hope that you have strength enough of character to eliminate radical faculty
members as well as unruly students where the law or administrative rules have
been violated. We see no reason to grant amnesty.

We have heard discussion that some taxpayers in Ohio are considering civil
action against State school administrators to compel those officals to make
personal restitution to the State for destroyed taxpayers property as well as
refunding student fees when those students education is interfered with due
to the lack of discipline.

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We refer you to Ohio Revised Code Sections: 1713.31; 3345.02.1; 3345.21 and also
sections: 1713.01; 1713.02; 1713.06; 1713.08; 1713.28; 3341.04; 3343.03; 3345.04;
and 3345.13.

This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 18. I appreciate
your taking the time to write although your form letter has little applicability
to Bowling GreenBowling Green State University at the present time. The taxpayers' property has been well
protected this past spring. Also there has been no violence so no faculty
member or student has had to be censored.

Your statement that it is my duty "to eliminate faculty members who
advocate or teach matters foreign or contrary to the American system" is far
too simplistic. If our American system is so enfeebled that it cannot stand
the competition of foreign ideas, then indeed things have come to a sorry
pass in this country. In other words, I believe our young people are wise
enough to distinguish between good ideas and phony ones if given a fair
chance. My major concern as an educator is to see that the youth of the
country have this type of exposure. At the moment I am not overly pleased
at the way we are presenting the best in our own system so to this extent
I appreciate your worries.

Again, thank you for writing.