Editor,

I would like to express concern regarding the influence Professor Valorie Thomas has had on Public Sentiment concerning the incident that occurred between herself and two students on September 9th. Most recently, Professor Thomas has sent an email to all faculty consisting of a Description of Events and her commentary. Upon reading the letter, I was prompted to speak to Professor Thomas in person about how biased it was. I approached Professor Thomas during her office hours and explained that I wanted to have a discussion with her so that I could better understand her position and her actions. As I sat down I expressed to her that her email was unfair for portraying both students as racist when they still deny allegations and that she should not make such claims in a influential, public forum. After clearly stating my intentions, she put words in my mouth and said, "So you are here to reprimand me." I said that in a sense, yes, I was. I disagreed with what she had said and wanted to discuss it with her. She promptly told me that that constitutes as harassment, took my full name, and asked me to leave immediately. She told me I could take the matter up with a Dean and to seek Pomona’s resources if I need emotional help. She said that she has no intention of speaking to me and would only discuss such issues in a public forum. I understand that Professor Thomas has every right and reason to decline a request for a discussion, however she reacted rashly and inappropriately. The manner in which I approached her was in no way harassing her. (Harassing being defined as: to annoy by repeated attacks; to disturb or torment persistently)

So, I think we should have a public forum because then I can hear her response to some of the following questions I am anxious to ask her.

First, why is she taking advantage of her position as a faculty member in this conflict by exercising her influence as a faculty member when informing the public of the "facts"? Professor Thomas was ironically quoted saying that "it is up to the community to decide how to react". However, the Description of Events expressed only Professor Thomas’s understanding of what occurred that night. Accounts of the incident from Norton’s and Cadoux’s perspective differ considerably and therefore one side should not be treated as fact. Likewise, if Grey Norton and Mike Cadoux continue to deny allegations of calling Professor Thomas a "black bitch" then the racist intentions of the students should also not be expressed as fact. Professor Thomas is dictating how the community should react by establishing these racial claims as facts.

Second, what is Professor Thomas or anyone else getting out of this public humiliation of potentially false racial claims? Professor Thomas does not know these students except on the terms of the conflict and yet she has taken the liberty to define how the public judges their nature and personality. Besides, isn’t their punishment harsh enough, especially considering it exceeds in severity all punishments for harassment in the past only because it involved a faculty member? It seems as though any professor who was able to keep the best interest of all involved in mind would see that such public defamation is not only damaging to the students involved, but also to their friends and loved ones.

Third, I challenge an ambiguous detail of the racist claims made in Professor Thomas’ email. If Professor Thomas does not, because she can’t, specify who made the racist remark, then why should both students be subjected to equal public defamation?

Professor Thomas is taking advantage of her position as a faculty member in this conflict and is, in turn, damaging Norton’s and Cadoux’s position by swaying public sentiments. Her actions are inconsiderate, discriminating and harmful. She is making a bad situation worse and defaming two credible people. It is my greatest hope that the public understands that there are two sides to this story, neither of which should be publicly deemed as fact.

Respectfully,

Jessica Harris ’04