[Vision2020] NIC Instructor Receiving Threats

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (March 17, 2007) Spokesman Review -

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NIC instructor receiving threats 
James Hagengruber 
Staff writer
March 17, 2007

Coeur d'Alene Police are investigating death threats against a part-time
North Idaho College English instructor who made disparaging remarks against
Republicans, including a facetious suggestion that Republicans be put to
death.

The part-time instructor, Jessica Bryan, said she made the comments in an
English composition class in an effort to spur debate and get students to
think critically. One of her students, however, dropped out of the course,
demanded a refund from the college, and in a guest column published Sunday
in the Coeur d'Alene Press accused Bryan of spreading hate.
 
The student, Linda Cook, is a longtime GOP supporter and former aide to the
late Idaho Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth.

Bryan told police she began receiving threatening phone calls and harassing
e-mails shortly after the column was published. Police began investigating
Tuesday and released copies of 10 of the messages Friday. An account of the
complaint also was posted earlier this week on a popular conservative news
Web site under the headline " 'Execute Republicans,' says college prof." 

The account in World Net Daily also linked to Bryan's e-mail address. 

In the messages that were subsequently sent to Bryan, she was threatened
numerous times with death and variously derided as a communist, a traitor, a
parasite and a Leninist radical.

A writer from California referenced past South American dictators who
executed liberal intellectuals: "Pray that there's never a right-wing coup
d'etat in this beautiful nation . you'll be one of the first ones floating
in a river like your cronies did in Argentina and Chile." 

NIC spokesman Kent Probst said Bryan's e-mail address and phone number have
since been changed, and campus security has been placed on a higher level of
alert. "It's a situation we take very seriously," Probst said. "The
well-being of the instructor and the students in those classrooms is of
paramount importance."

In an earlier interview, Bryan said she was "surprised and disappointed"
Cook didn't tell her about her concerns before filing a complaint with the
college. "She had never made me aware of any problems or grievances she had
in the class," Bryan said, adding that it was the first major complaint
she's heard about her teaching in the 25 years she's been an instructor.

Cook said Bryan would make disparaging remarks about Republicans in every
class period, including saying that George W. Bush was elected by illiterate
idiots and that the death penalty should be used on anyone who votes
Republican. 

Earlier this week, NIC agreed to refund Cook's $379 course fee.

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Part-time instructor Jessica Bryan's in-class comments were wrong.  For
those comments her employment should deservedly be terminated.  Ms. Bryan's
in-class comments are a civil matter and should be dealt with accordingly.
Her comments, however, DO NOT justify death threats being.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"As more and more heathens 'choose' to not have children the number of Godly
souls will increase. If the number of Christian births out number the number
of Islamic births the battle will be over in 3 or 4 generations."

- Doug "No-Clue" Farris (March 10, 2007)