Veteran suspended from college

[LDB]

Another example of the idiocy and double standards in education. If the counselor was a former Marine and the student a female muslim the request would have been immediately granted and end of story. I can't wait for our resident apologists to come along.

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6527

 

[Turtle]

I think there's a lot more to this story. Like, you know, the other side of it.

http://www.mc.edu/news/military-advanced-education-guide-salutes-mississippi-college/

The above piece from the university's website doesn't exactly portend his academic difficulties just 2 months later. It would be nice to read an independent accounting of this, rather than only be able to read Jeremy Rawls' account, given to a single source, and recounted on right wing Blogs.

The fact that he can't find a lawyer is kind of a red flag.

 

[aquitted]

And now you know......The rest of the story!

 

[scottm4211]

Another example of the idiocy in posting.

 

[Ragman]

Another example of the idiocy in posting.

Please, please, please forgive him! He is from Texas.

 

[skyraider]

Calling Mr. Paul Harvey, where rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr you. page 2 anyone.

 

[golfournut]

I don't see where this is the other side of the story.
Oh boy, they have a veterans once a year, help about 200 vets and a group of christians not the school do something.
The real question is, what happend in the 5 months of this article from 12/14 to the op article of 5/15.

 

[golfournut]

I think there's a lot more to this story. Like, you know, the other side of it.

http://www.mc.edu/news/military-advanced-education-guide-salutes-mississippi-college/

The above piece from the university's website doesn't exactly portend his academic difficulties just 2 months later. It would be nice to read an independent accounting of this, rather than only be able to read Jeremy Rawls' account, given to a single source, and recounted on right wing Blogs.

The fact that he can't find a lawyer is kind of a red flag.

I don't see where this is the other side of the story.
Oh boy, they have a veterans day once a year, help about 200 vets and a group of christians not the school do something.
The real question is, what happend in the 5 months of this article from 12/14 to the op article of 5/15.

 

[Pilgrim]

This is a little more balanced report including a statement from the school about the report in the OP. However, one can't help be a little bit skeptical when these schools start claiming compliance with confidentiality laws as an excuse to avoid thorough explanations.

One of Rawls’ friends, however, was less charitable towards the school. Stephen Pitts, also a student at the school, told The DCNF that Bill Townsend, the school’s vice president for advancement and legal counsel, had even made vaguely threatening comments regarding Rawls when Pitts warned him the school could face a media firestorm over its suspension.

“[Townsend] said, ‘This needs to go away if Jeremy wants this to end well for him,”‘ Pitts said.

The college has released a statement of its own defending itself and denying that Rawls was suspended for his request to change counselors. However, the school hasn’t described what actually caused the suspension, citing academic confidentiality laws.

After linking to the bio on Bill Townsend and seeing his photo, I couldn't help thinking about his resemblance to a smarmy frat boy from Animal House, and Rawls being put on double-secret probation.

In spite of the lip service provided by MC we have to remember it is a college - a likely bastion of political correctness, and probably not really all that friendly towards the military in spite of what they claim. Small colleges like this desperately need students, especially those that bring govt money with them.

 

[Turtle]

I don't see where this is the other side of the story.

It's not. Those who thought it was probably didn't read the piece at the link. I'm still looking fit the other side of the story.

I posted that link to show the incongruity of him being singled out by the University as praising the University, in December, and then everything going down the toilet in February. His claims didn't make sense.

 

[Turtle]

This is a little more balanced report including a statement from the school about the report in the OP.

The fact that it includes a link to the statement from the school doesn't make it more balanced. The entire story there at the Daily Caller has exactly the same balance as all the other stories to be found, that of telling the story through a hot-button headline and from the perspective of Rawls' allegations.

However, one can't help be a little bit skeptical when these schools start claiming compliance with confidentiality laws as an excuse to avoid thorough explanations.

You have just concluded that the school is avoiding giving a thorough explanation by hiding behind federal confidentiality laws,simply because they won't come out and tell their side of the story in full.

As maddening (and apparently suspicious) as it might be when schools do that, they really have no choice. There's no doubt in my mind that some schools will absolutely hide behind those laws to avoid justifying themselves (because, IMHO, that's why those laws were enacted in the first place), that doesn't mean all school cite the laws in order to avoid giving the full story.

You should look up the federal education privacy laws (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). It's known as the Buckley Amendment after conservative Republican Senator James Buckley (who was later appointed to the bench by Reagan) and was signed into law by Ford. The law prevents the school from releasing pretty much anything about a student, 18 years and older, including grades, enrollment, courses taken, and behavior, without that student giving his expressed, written permission.

In spite of the lip service provided by MC we have to remember it is a college - a likely bastion of political correctness, and probably not really all that friendly towards the military in spite of what they claim. Small colleges like this desperately need students, especially those that bring govt money with them.

I really don't know that I'd characterize it as a "bastion of political correctness." It is a private, conservative, Baptist university that is mostly Southern Baptist in enrollment and in philosophy. The current governor of Mississippi, uber-conservative Phil Bryant, is a proud, and rather typical, alum. It is also well known and respected for it's law school.

Which is why I think it's odd that he can't find even one lawyer to take up his case, either a disgruntled alumni, or some radical liberal lawyer looking to take the Christian Right down a notch. It makes me question the veracity of his claims.

Nothing about this smells right, other than, quite frankly, the university's statement that none of his claims are true.

 

[RLENT]

This is a little more balanced report including a statement from the school about the report in the OP. However, one can't help be a little bit skeptical when these schools start claiming compliance with confidentiality laws as an excuse to avoid thorough explanations.

So ... what would you have them do - violate confidentiality laws ?

After linking to the bio on Bill Townsend and seeing his photo, I couldn't help thinking about his resemblance to a smarmy frat boy from Animal House, and Rawls being put on double-secret probation.

Yeah ... smarmy frat boys of that type typically chose women who hold a Master’s degree in Christian Education from New Orleans Theological Seminary ... and are working towards a Doctorate in Student Leadership from New Orleans Theological Seminary ... to be their wives ...

And this just cements the picture:

Townsend has extensive professional experience in youth education and ministry, beginning at First Baptist Church in Jackson, where she served as Student Minister for 10 years. She later served as Minister of Discipleship and Students at Ridgeland’s Highland Colony Baptist Church, before moving to Louisiana and Texas with her family.

In Louisiana, Townsend served as Director of Women’s Missions and Ministry from the Louisiana Baptist Convention, where she coordinated all activities for women, children and teenage girls.

In Texas, Townsend taught high school music, wrote for several national Christian-based publications and served on the board of directors for Hope for the Hungry, an organization that meets the needs of orphans and other people in need in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Townsend has coordinated and led many service-based mission endeavors throughout the United States and abroad including Haiti, Romania and England. And this month, she will be taking a group of Jackson Prep and Jackson Academy students on a mission trip to France.

A Mentor Among Us

In spite of the lip service provided by MC we have to remember it is a college - a likely bastion of political correctness, and probably not really all that friendly towards the military in spite of what they claim. Small colleges like this desperately need students, especially those that bring govt money with them.

That stereotype is likely to be as accurate as the one you offered up on Bill Townsend.

Got any more of those "deep insights" - stereotypical though they may be - you'd care to share there Bluto ?

BTW: Dude originally in question was a merc ...

IOW: ... potential murderer for hire ... and quite possibly a psycho ...

 

[Turtle]

Yeah ... smarmy frat boys of...

C'mon, you gotta admit he does look a little like Gregg Marmalard. Except Marmalard wasn't part of the Deltas that got put on double secret probation, he was the errand boy of Dean Wormer charged with finding a way for Wormer to remove the Delta fraternity from the school.

 

[Pilgrim]

C'mon, you gotta admit he does look a little like Gregg Marmalard. Except Marmalard wasn't part of the Deltas that got put on double secret probation, he was the errand boy of Dean Wormer charged with finding a way for Wormer to remove the Delta fraternity from the school.

He was the President of Omega House (Omega Theta Pi), the smarmy rival fraternity of the Deltas.

Gregory "Greg" Marmalard: The president of Omega House and boyfriend of Mandy Pepperidge. After graduation from Faber in 1963, he became a Nixon White House aide and was subsequently raped in prison in 1974 after being convicted for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_House

 

[RLENT]

C'mon, you gotta admit he does look a little like Gregg Marmalard. Except Marmalard wasn't part of the Deltas that got put on double secret probation, he was the errand boy of Dean Wormer charged with finding a way for Wormer to remove the Delta fraternity from the school.

Sure ...

But what's really funny to me is the predisposition to make the connection and think the thought, based on scant evidence ... but like the poster said:

"... I couldn't help thinking about his resemblance ..."

Indeed ...

Probably very similar to the type of "thinking" involved with how a a private, conservative, Baptist university that is mostly Southern Baptist in enrollment and in philosophy is "... a likely bastion of political correctness, and probably not really all that friendly towards the military in spite of what they claim ..."

Mmmm ... yeah ...

All in all, it's rather entertaining to be sure ...

 

[Turtle]

Most colleges and universities tend to be pretty liberal, so I can see how such an assumption can be made, but Mississippi College most definitely isn't one of them. They have a direct affiliation with the Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention (as well as affiliations with the other two Mississippi Southern Baptist schools of Blue Mountain College and William Carey University). The main college with 5,000 students is the largest private college in the state. Its Homeland Security and Loss Prevention program is ranked #1 out of the 31 universities with the HSLP curriculum. It has a well-respected ROTC program. It is one of only two law schools in Mississippi, and the only one in the state capitol. It's located just a couple of blocks from the Federal District Courts and the State Supreme Court. It is only one of a handful of law schools which offer certificates in Civil Law in addition to the standard Common Law certificates. The fight for anti-abortion legislation is conceived, developed and born (sorry, couldn't help myself) primarily at the Law School, in particular the most recent legislation that makes Mississippi the most difficult state in which to obtain an abortion under any circumstances.

Mississippi College was recognized among the nation's top "military-friendly" schools by the Military Advanced Education guide from KMI Media. MC has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Benefits, as one of the very few private college Yellow Ribbon Schools where the GI Bill pays full tuition instead of the national maximum.

A bastion of political correctness, or liberalism, it is not.

It's a really good school, though, consistently ranked very high by Forbes, US News and World Report, and other publications.

 

[Pilgrim]

Most colleges and universities tend to be pretty liberal, so I can see how such an assumption can be made, but Mississippi College most definitely isn't one of them. They have a direct affiliation with the Mississippi Southern Baptist Convention (as well as affiliations with the other two Mississippi Southern Baptist schools of Blue Mountain College and William Carey University). The main college with 5,000 students is the largest private college in the state. Its Homeland Security and Loss Prevention program is ranked #1 out of the 31 universities with the HSLP curriculum. It has a well-respected ROTC program. It is one of only two law schools in Mississippi, and the only one in the state capitol. It's located just a couple of blocks from the Federal District Courts and the State Supreme Court. It is only one of a handful of law schools which offer certificates in Civil Law in addition to the standard Common Law certificates. The fight for anti-abortion legislation is conceived, developed and born (sorry, couldn't help myself) primarily at the Law School, in particular the most recent legislation that makes Mississippi the most difficult state in which to obtain an abortion under any circumstances.

Mississippi College was recognized among the nation's top "military-friendly" schools by the Military Advanced Education guide from KMI Media. MC has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Benefits, as one of the very few private college Yellow Ribbon Schools where the GI Bill pays full tuition instead of the national maximum.

A bastion of political correctness, or liberalism, it is not.

It's a really good school, though, consistently ranked very high by Forbes, US News and World Report, and other publications.

I stand corrected - sounds like a pretty good school, and the polar opposite from the large state university that occupies most of the attention in our town with its mediocre administration and mediocre athletic teams.

However, the questions still remain regarding why the problems arose from his request for a non-Muslim counselor. It would seem even the counselor would be agreeable they would accommodate that request. Of course when anyone mentions PTSD nowadays, the first thought that comes to mind is Chris Kyle tragedy and that the guy might need a shrink instead of a lawyer. Either of these should be available to him through various sources, including the VA.

On a side note, after the guilty verdict for Eddie Ray Routh it turns out he probably didn't have PTSD after all and was just plain crazy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/u...ry-finds-ex-marine-guilty-of-murder.html?_r=0

 

[Turtle]

However, the questions still remain regarding why the problems arose from his request for a non-Muslim counselor.

I think it's actually more of a situation of questions remaining as to whether or not problems arose at all from that request.

Yesterday, at the Campus Reform Website, where the story originated in all its shoddy journalism glory, the Editor-in-Chief issued a journalistic ethical mea culpa without explicitly doing so. But it's a start towards real journalism, I suppose.

Note the word "reasoning" used here is in lieu of "unsubstantiated allegations."

"After speaking with the college and Rawls, new documentation has been released that calls into question reasoning presented in the original story. The Muslim counselor that Rawls allegedly met with was a “student intern,” according to Dr. Bill Townsend, Vice President for Advancement and Legal Counsel to MC’s president. The details of Rawls’ exchange with that intern remain unclear."

“We are a relatively small Christian university, we have no desire to discriminate against a veteran in any way, form, shape or fashion and we would never deny somebody the right to meet with a counselor of their choice,” Townsend said.

Emails do show that both Dr. Morgan Bryant, Director of Student Counseling and Disability Services, and Dr. Ron Howard, Vice President of Academic Affairs, responded to such a request from Rawls and indicated their willingness to fulfill it.

“I am so sorry that your encounter with the Muslim student doing her internship in the Counseling Center caused you so much grief,” Howard wrote in an email on Feb. 23. “I trust that you are receiving counseling at the VA, but I assure you that MC wants to assist you in every way we reasonably can.”


The full read of the "Editor's Note" at the link above is well worth the time, I think.

 

[RLENT]

Well worth the time ...

Seems to me that it couldn't possibly be the case that Rawls is using the fact that MC is prohibited by law from fully addressing the matter and being totally transparent to mischaracterize what actually happened.

I mean it's not like fanatical "Christians" would ever misrepresent things to be different than what they actually are, right ?

 

[Turtle]

I think he's just PTSD Crazy.