I have some questions for Frank DeFrank on his column about Macomb
Community College Engiish Professor John Bonnell
Did he present a fair-minded, complete and accurate story? Did his friendship, travels and golf outings with Bonnell make him an objective disseminator of the truth? Did his expressions in Bonnell's dasses 20 years ago accurately reflect the present?
Was he in Bonnell's classroom when the offensive language prompted student cornplaints? Did he know what words Bonnell used and the contexts in which he used them?
What are the sources of his facts? Oniy Bonnell? Did he ask MCC admihistrators for the official version?
Did he contact the MCC Faculty Organization's Senate, a governing body of elected professors that voted against Bonnell's requests to grieve his suspension and directive to refrain from discussing the matter?
Why didn't he report that Bonnell's suspension is paid while MCC conducts its investigation? Why did he simply imply erroneously in a cause and effect fashion, Bonnell's suspersion was extended because his students organized a protest, rather than because of his disobedience to the directive not to discuss the suspensien with them?
Is he aware that his edict for "all of us" to be outraged, because of Bonnell's "unfair" treatment, is itself an outrage to all who want to live, work, play and, yes, learn in an environment conducive to those pursuits?
His biased, incomplete and inaccurate column has inflicted an enormous injustice upon MCC and those who work dilligently to maintain and enhance its educational pursuits.
DeFrarik owes us an apology
Ralph L. Schmitt
Professor of Business Management , Macomb Community College
March 21, 1999