Get out of my classroom, Mitch Daniels

I’ve never really understood the rivalry IU has with Purdue University.

Many of my Boilermaker friends crack jokes on the regular about IU, which I don’t really understand, but that’s OK. I do understand a little competition is a healthy and
normal thing. But today of all days, I’m just really glad I’m not a student at Purdue.

Because that means former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels is not the president of my university.

Daniels, who assumed the presidency of Purdue University in January after leaving the gubernatorial office, has come under fire as a series of emails have surfaced demonstrating the former governor sought to censor writings and classes that conflicted with his personal beliefs for the Indiana education system.

The writings in question were those of Howard Zinn, an American historian and anti-war writer. Daniels called Zinn’s book, entitled “A People’s History of the United States,” an “... execrable, anti-factual piece of disinformation that misstates American history on every page.”

The book in question has been used here at IU in several courses involving teachings on feminist, labor and civil rights movements.

Daniels believes Zinn’s book is liberal propaganda and a threat to the Indiana public school system.

I’ve never read Zinn’s book, but I still have an issue with any politician, or any person who isn’t really an educator, believing they have the power to dictate what does or does not constitute a proper reading curriculum in the classroom.

At the risk of becoming the columnist who waves the First Amendment around anytime he pleases, this just doesn’t sound right. Just because Daniels disagrees with what was being taught in the classroom does not mean he has the authority to change it.

Last time I checked, Mitch Daniels was not and is not an educator, which perhaps lends itself to the air of controversy that surrounded his appointment to the presidency of Purdue University.

Or maybe the controversy had something to do with the eight board members Daniels had appointed to the Purdue University Board of Trustees, who then hired him at Purdue when his other job ended.

I’m sure the controversy maybe had something to do with one of those things.

There’s even more unintentional humor when you consider the “open letter” Daniels wrote to the Purdue family in January saying universities have “squashed” free speech instead of promoting it. Sounds pretty funny coming from a guy looking to ban books statewide just because he personally disagreed with their teachings.

Mr. Daniels was not exactly the guy I felt comfortable with leading Indiana and I don’t exactly trust him with a university either. But hey, at least it’s not the university I attend.

­— wdmcdona@indiana.edu