Editor,

We are writing in response to the letter to the editor printed in this Friday’ s issue of TSL [October 12, 2001, "Harassment Policy Inadequate"] regarding the "treatment" of Professor Thomas’ harassment case. This letter makes unfounded accusations that grossly misrepresent the facts of this case.

As members of an intellectual community, we deserve the facts:

1) Harassment on the basis of gender or race was not "addressed" by this case because Grey Norton and Mike Cadoux were not charged with any racial or gender based harassment.

2) Grey Norton and Michael Cadoux were found guilty of verbal, not physical, abuse.

3) Grey Norton and Michael Cadoux were suspended for the rest of the academic year. This is the most severe sanction, other than expulsion, that can be issued by the Judiciary Board.

[The October 12] letter to the editor is damaging to the Pomona College community in that it proliferates unfounded rumors and makes accusations of the gravest nature without factual support. It states alleged actions as undisputed truths. The statement to TSL was submitted prior to the Judiciary Board meeting and operates on the presumption that these students were guilty until proven innocent–not the other way around. It unfairly slanders the character of two students, describing them as a "threat" to the personal safety of the students of the Claremont Colleges.

With the facts in mind, we as students of the Pomona College Community should ask ourselves if the sanctions applied to Grey Norton and Michael Cadoux are appropriate consequences for their involvement in a verbal dispute. We should ask ourselves if the balance of power within the Judiciary Board truly lies with the interest of the students. We should ask ourselves if the Pomona College Dean of Students, who oversees the Judiciary Board proceedings, truly represents the student body. We should ask ourselves why Pomona College’s "outside reputation" is relevant in a question of justice.

Signed,

Alex Mondau ’04

Thomas Woo ’04

Tony Forte ’04

Camilla Clark ’04

Tiffany Jacobs-Quinn ’03

Sara Ball ’04

Paul Kiernan ’04

Jeremy Fisher ’04

Wyatt Wells ’03

Jefferson Yarborough ’04

Ari Greenberg ’04

Sam Schlessinger ’03

Emmy Tenenbaum ’04

Caley Haaken-Heymann ’04

Matt Baker ’04

Lydia Lucas ’04

Jay Schneider ’04

Adam Butschek ’03

Lindsey Wollschlager ’04