Leaders failed to keep students safe
By enabling and unleashing police violence against a peaceful demonstration, Chancellor Katehi and Police Chief Spicuzza failed to meet one of the most basic requirements of their respective positions — to create and maintain a safe campus. Instead, they created a hostile environment that endangered the health and well being of last week’s demonstrators, one which threatens to leave a residue of fear and hostility.
The police violence that occurred on the Davis campus is something I would expect in a totalitarian state; it cannot be tolerated on a campus that aspires to be a great center of learning and creativity. For their failed leadership, Chancellor Katehi and Chief Spicuzza should be removed from their positions immediately. There is no need for a task force to delay action.
Sy Schwartz
Davis
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=107205
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Posted by Letters to the Editor
on Nov 22 2011.
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Agree. The chancellor and her police chief should be replaced before the students return from the holiday next monday. Disarm the police of the university, they are dangerous amateurs.
Only then will the campus be safe for students.
Students need to be safe. Protestors need to be safe.
Students and protestors are not the same necessarily. Having large encampments (which is not what had occurred yet at UC Davis) does NOT keep students safe.
I don’t think most parents want to send their children to school on a campus filled with tents of random folks (whom could be mentally ill homeless people, completely safe homeless people, professional protestors who try to incite riots, students who are protesting, criminals).
I am on a campus that has a lot of crime. I love it, but I wouldn’t want to walk home after class if there were tents everywhere.
I don’t think Linda Katehi has done anything to indicate she doesn’t value student safety. The police made a BIG mistake. It was wrong.
Yes, protests should be allowed during the day if the protestors behave peacably (as they were at UC Davis). But those who insist that the police should not do anything and allow widespread overnight encampments, do NOT have student safety on the top of their priority list.
I really do think – if one looks at historical protests in the past and now at other locations – that this is being blown out of proportion.
I don’t think this many people signed a petition to get someone fired when Oscar Grant was SHOT and killed. Yes, I am far far left. But let’s have some perspective. This video went viral, and the actions on it were wrong. But the current uproar is not beneficial to the campus or to the movement toward income fairness in this country. We’re just spinning our wheels and pointing fingers.
Linda Katehi didn’t pepper spray those students, nor is there any sign she advocated anything remotely resembling that kind of behavior from the police.
I really doubt the motivations of the faculty that are calling for her resignation.
I really want our society to return to rational discourse and facts.
I am sorry for the protestors who were pepper-sprayed. The police should be fired and punished. Everyone at every level should apologize. The wonderful talented members of the UC Davis campus should rebuild its spirits and the media should butt out.