Friday, November 28, 2008

Academic Fraud & "Sue Them!"

On reflecting on the considerable amount of time some professors misuse in inflicting (Usually "left wing") propaganda on students in lieu of what was described in school's course descriptions, the following "cautions" are provided.

Professors! Could you defend your varying from pre-announced course content in a student based law suit (For real and punitive damages AND as based on claims of fraud or breach of contract) before Courts much more interested in the "Law Of Contracts" (Which is very well defined in statutes and inter-state compacts and the whole body of the law) VS. "Academic Freedom" (Which does NOT have a like authority in the Courts)?

University Officials! Could you, likewise, successfully defend against such actions AND those which claim a breach-of-contract based on your published statements as to "academic freedom"? Is writing vague and misleading course descriptions a defense against such actions?

Students & Student Associations! Do you have the moral courage (And the hope of paying for your educations) by gathering together to file such suits as groups-of-named-students OR in class action suits?

Could any of such misleading statements or actions by professors or schools elevate such violations to the level of criminal fraud?
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NOTE OF JUNE 23, 2011: Even where universities use "weasel words" to describe individual courses or students' "academic freedom", it would appear that there are still "causes-in-action" based on a general expectation of that principle by enrolling in any (At least public) university. As an example, giving a student a failing or very-low grades after a "philosophical" differences with a teacher might be construed as a form of libel and, if the teacher made post-difference and equivalent statements in the classroom, slander.
Since many trial-attorneys are always on-the-hunt for such deep pocket defendants as public universities (Who may not be immune from suits), even the cost of defending such actions might bring corrective pressures on schools.

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