PERSPECTIVE S The Michigan Daily Thursday, October 13, 1988 Page 5 Duderstadt, can you teach biology? BY SANDRA STEINGRABER An open letter to my students and to President Duderstadt: Last Thursday afternoon I missed my office hours. At the time I usu- ally reserve to meet with all of you I was lying in a University Hospital emergency room with a head injury sustained (as they say in medical- legal parlance) at the presidential in- augural demonstration. Or to put it more directly, I was hurt when a police officer picked me tip and dumped me on my head. My colleagues three stories up in the Natural Science Building heard my head hit the street. I know that many of you saw my photo in the Daily on Friday - a body in the street surrounded by police and paramedics - and it frightened you. Some of you even clipped the photo and sent it to your parents. I'm glad you did this. It's important to get people talking about the relationships between students, teachers and the police. Unfortunately, I won't be in class on Monday. Yesterday I learned that a warrant has been issued for my arrest. Monday afternoon I will be arraigned. for disturbing the peace and assault and battery against the police officer who caused my injury. Thus, I join the ranks of the three other protesters arrested last Thursday while demon- strating against the inauguration. All of us are students. All of us are journalists. Two of us are teachers. I will try to find someone else to teach our class on Monday. I'm sorry I won't be there. I'm sure you aren't happy about paying outrageous tuition in order to be instructed by strangers. But there are some lessons you can learn from this that might be more important than anything I could say to you on Monday. What happened to me and the other arrested students is a culmination of struggles over police brutality, militarization of the universities and the lack of democ- racy in University decision-making. I attended last Thursday's demon- stration for three reasons. First, I object to the fact that President Dud- erstadt was selected by the regents with no student input. The President has been granted supreme authority over our behavior (through Regental bylaw 2.01) and yet we had no voice in selecting who this individual would be. I happen to think this is undemocratic. Second, I am a concerned scientist. I oppose Pentagon-sponsored research at the University. I happen to think that research which contributes to the maiming and killing of human beings is immoral. President Duderstadt has conducted laser weapons research for the Air Force. He brought more than $19 million in DOD funds into the Engineering School when he was dean. What will he do as President? No law prevents the transformation of the University into a think-tank for the Pentagon. I have no other way of expressing my opposition except by taking my outrage into the street. Third, I oppose the new protest policy which Duderstadt supports and enforces. The courses I teach focus on issues: racism, nuclear winter, world hunger, toxic waste. Many of my students become activists on campus, and I have always encouraged them to follow their conscience when they encounter injustice. Maybe some of you will choose this path too. But the recent restrictions on political expression criminalize cer- tain forms of protest. The deputiza- tion of campus security enforces these restrictions. I told Mr. Duder- stadt at last month's Regents meeting that I didn't want to see all of you in handcuffs and dragged off by his private police force for following your consciences on whatever issue puts fire in your hearts. And now there is a warrent out for my own arrest on the charge of assault and battery. As a biology teacher, I have tried to get you to ask the deep questions, to think about connections. There are some I would like you to think about now. Our new president claims to represent diversity, plurality and multi-culturalism. What do these words mean if they do not include the right to peaceful demonstration? Shortly after I was injured, my editor here at the Daily was thrown to the ground and arrested by a Uni- versity deputy - the first such arrest under the new policy. A month ago, both of us co-authored a Weekend story critical of deputization. We exposed the fact that the University provided funds to send one of the new deputies to an FBI training seminar. Do you think there could be a con- nection here? Does diversity include official violence? Mr. Duderstadt, can you teach my class on Monday? Steingraber is an Opinion Page staffer and a biology TA. ANN ARBOR'S CHURCH OF CHRIST (Followers of Jesus Christ using the Bible as our only guide and authority.) Invites YOU to Worship with Us SUNDAY...9:30 AM, 6:00 PM 53C WEDNESDAY...7:30 PM COLLEGE CLASSES ON... CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES You CAN prove that God exists, and that Jesus Christ is His Soni TRANSPORTA TION INFO 662-9928 0 W. Stadium Blvd. Phone 662-2756 T W. Stadium Go,, Pion1 Coors HihSol :'S ". -- - / sm ANXIETY ATTACKS? Do you have agoraphobia or sudden attacks of fear, apprehension or anxiety? If you experience such attacks 4 times a month or live -in fear of them and are between 18 and -40 years of age you may be eligible for FREE evaluation, treatment and pay in a major U of M11 research study directed by G. Curtis, M.D. If you believe you are eligible call. U-M Anxiety Prograin 936-7868 Let Them Know How You Feel! ! DAILY PERSONALS 764-0557 p Sgg I er tter Now that we've expanded. Charley's is bigger and better than ever. Whether youre a drinker, a diner or a dancer. you can he sure you'll find what you're looking for and more. Where else but Charleys can you have the most fun. food and frolic all under one roof' GodTime 1 stairs . Downstairs and Outdoors in Season- Study in Britain Spend a term or year at a British university through Beaver College. If you are interested in learning more about our programs in Britain, Ireland, and Austria, come meet our program representative. Date: Thursday, October 13 Time: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Place: International Center 603 E. Madison We will also have a table in the Michigan Union MUG from 11:00 to 2:00. We hope to see you there! Beaver College Center for Education Abroad Glenside, PA 19038 (215) 572-2901 MSA Academic Affairs Committee presents Jonathan Kozol Learn about the outstanding opportunities at GTE for people with varied backgrounds and degrees, before VOLu interview, by attending GTE's On-Campus Information Reception. Talk with our recruiters. Ask questions. Find out about the enormous scope of our operations, and the challenging technical and business careers in electronics and telecommunications that GTE has to offer. on AMERICAN PRIORITIES