Back to school

Deirdre Newman

As Orange Coast College political science professor Ken Hearlson

prepares to go back to the classroom next week, he isprojecting himself

into the public spotlight on a local and national level.

Locally, he is finally making public a letter he received from OCC

President Margaret Gratton that he considers a reprimand. Nationally, he

will be featured Friday in a Public Broadcasting Service program.

“I have never held anything back. I have nothing to hide,” Hearlson

said Wednesday. “I thought this would be an honest exposure of the

issues.”

The letter was given to him in December on the same day a report was

released clearing him of the main harassment allegations lodged against

him by four Muslim students. They charged Hearlson with making racially

inflammatory comments about Muslims and Arabs.

The letter directs Hearlson to comply with district rules and

regulations relating to harassment, admonishes him for singling out

specific students on the basis of their religion or ethnicity, and

declares that students should not feel obligated to defend their religion

after he has portrayed it in a negative manner.

Hearlson says the letter amounts to prior restraint and censorship,

which he says violate academic freedom.

Considering the conservative professor tackles some fairly

controversial issues, such as Arab-Israeli relations and Islamic

fundamentalists, that doesn’t leave him a lot of breathing room, he said.

“The ramifications are so great it’s incredible, especially in a

political science class,” Hearlson said. “I’m not going to be able to say

much.”

Gratton was unavailable for comment.

Jim Carnett, director of media relations for OCC, said the college

does not consider the letter to be a reprimand.

“There is a specific protocol and format that are used in a letter of

reprimand with this district. And this letter does not follow that

protocol,” Carnett said.

Hearlson emphasized he will not shy away from discussing volatile

issues such as terrorism in his classes -- he will just be more guarded

in his presentation.

And he won’t be yelling as much, he said, because he recently invested

in hearing aids for both ears to correct a hearing problem.

Hearlson also said he is concerned that any subsequent complaint could

lead to him getting fired because of the mandate in the letter.

His attorney has until Monday to file an injunction to set aside the

letter until the college conducts a full hearing on it, Hearlson said.

While he grapples with how to present his upcoming lectures, Hearlson

is looking forward to an in-depth look at thecontroversy by Bill Moyers,

the veteran public television journalist, on his new show, “NOW with Bill

Moyers.”

The show, which is a collaboration with National Public Radio News,

will feature Hearlson in its second installment Friday.

The producer and crew came to town when the firestorm of controversy

was culminating -- the week the final report was released.

“It was tumultuous,” Hearlson said. “My wife was just dismayed. But

because of our faith in God, we were calm about [everything].”

The segment will focus on Hearlson’s teaching style and conservative

beliefs, varying accounts of what happened on Sept. 18 -- the class the

complaints were based on -- the pressure exerted on Hearlson by Islamic

groups and the administration’s reaction.

While Hearlson has not seen his segment yet, he said he has the utmost

respect for Moyers.

“[He] is so well-respected throughout the U.S.,” Hearlson said. “He

takes a fair and honest look at things. Although, he’s somewhat liberal.

But that’s OK.”

SH FYI

“NOW with Bill Moyers” will appear at 9 p.m. Friday on KCET.