Laurentian says removing prof from class over foul language form about breaking rules

Laurentian University administrators say thedecision to remove a professor froma course afterhe asked students to sign off on his use of offensivelanguagehadnothing to do with free speech.

RobertKerr, provost at the Sudbury, Ont., school,says the decision involving Michael Persingerwasn't over the colourful language used in the introductory psychology course.

"To be clear, this is not about academic freedom," he said."A faculty member cannot ask a student to sign a document, a memorandum of understanding, as a condition to take his or her class."

• Read the contract and sample questions(Warning: Some readers may find the language offensive).

AdministratorssaidPersingerviolated schoolpolicy by asking students in his first-year psychology classto sign a "Statement of Understanding" formon the first day of the course. The documentincluded a list ofpotentialprofanities,includinghomophobic slursand sexual slang, that the professormight usein class.

In a statement earlier this week, the school saidit's committed to providing a safe and respectful workplace and learning environment.

"Dr. Persinger was removed from teaching this course pending an investigation," the statement continues,adding the chair of the psychology department has taken over teaching the year-long course.

The decision to remove Persingerwas madein December after a student complained.

Kerr saidhe wasn't previously aware of the form.

Persingertold CBC Newshestarted using it more than a decade ago after it was suggested by the dean at the time.

He saidhe wouldn't have forced anystudent leave the class if he or shedidn't want to sign it.

"I certainly would not have forced them to sign anything," Persinger told CBC News.

"What I did do however was to ensure that if they would feel uncomfortable about my style of teaching or about the content of the course, they would have the opportunity to go somewhere else...But no one is ever excluded from a class of mine."

Union says form wasn't a contract

Jim Ketchen, president of theLaurentian University Faculty Association,saideven if Persingerwanted to remove a student from the course, the form didn't allow that.

"He simply doesn't have the authority to do that. He has no way to enforce that.What was he going to do? Physically remove a student from his classroom? It would have no legal standing," said Ketchen, adding that the form also didn't legally protect Persinger.

Ketchen saidthe union will continue to fight the administration's decision to removePersingerfrom the course, whatever the school'sreasoning.

First-year student Aurora Buckley saidshe transferred into the class after hearing great reviews from other students.

She said she had no problem signing the form, and thoughtPersinger was making a point in his use of language.

"What he says is true. The real world isn't always going to be safe and respectful. And it's important for people to learn how to react rationally and have an educated opinion on terms and words they're probably going to come across," she said.