Jim has been embroiled in various battles with the College administration for a number of years, mainly revolving around issues like corruption, due process, hiring and academic standards. Jim is not only an outspoken radical, but has a blunt and uncompromising style. His tenure has protected him, but he has become such a thorn in the side of the administration that they are trying to fire him nonetheless.
Part of the ammunition they are trying to use against him involves his role in exposing a former cleric named Kevin Annett. As an expert witness in an inquiry on residential schools in Canada (based on dubious credentials, as it turned out), Annett used his access to testimony in order to promote his career. The material on videotapes of horribly abused Canadian Indians found their way into an article Annett wrote for some journal. The material was used without the permission of the Indian victims and activists, who are organized in a group called Circle of Justice. Annett was once a member of the group but has been expelled for his high-handed behavior.
Jim has been a forceful spokesman for the Circle of Justice people and has written both private and public email making their case for returning the tapes. Annett has now contacted Clark College and demand that they do something about Jim, whose criticisms of Annett have made their mark.
This is a communication that Jim just received from a Clark College administrator:
FROM: Chuck Ramsey, Interim Vice President of Instruction
TO: Professor Jim Craven
"We have received a complaint/expression of concern about your use of College e-mail. So that I may gather relevant information about the complaint, you are hereby directed to provide paper copies of all e-mails you have sent or received, using College e-mail or other electronic resources, that name or refer, directly or indirectly, to Kevin Annett. You are directed to provide paper copies of all these e-mails to the Office of Instruction no later than 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 24, 1998."
Jim has asked me to contact people wide and far to send email to Clark College to protest this violation of his political expression and right to privacy. The school has no right to demand that he turn over his private email. Jim is even conscientious enough to include the words "My Employer has no association with my private/protected OPINION" at the end of all his communications.
Email supporting Jim's right to privacy should be sent to President Tana Hasart (thasart at clark.edu).
Louis Proyect (http://www.panix.com/~lnp3/marxism.html)