Letter to USC President

April 12, 2013

Dr. C.L. Max Nikias

Office of the President

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 90089-4019

Dear Dr. Nikias:

As a Floridian I am not used to writing to college Presidents in California, however, this letter is prompted by the recent national exposure of one of your Political Science professors at the University, Darry Sragow, and his utter disregard of proper educational standards unbecoming of your distinguished University. I am not naïve in believing that, to put it mildly, most professors have a certain left of center political bent based on the statistics I’ve seen, but the video went far beyond political bias. He condemned Republicans as a party of racists and stupid old white men and said they were fostering ID voting requirements on people they don’t want to vote. There also were many other mistruths, lies, and absolute falsehoods that he was teaching students about California politics that apparently suited his prejudicial viewpoint. I know you don’t support such indoctrination, intimidation, and political rhetoric from a so-called teacher.

Professor Sragow now blames the student who took the video and says he was free to challenge him. That is ridiculous!  Besides, he was actually reading this garbage and his delivery was utterly boring (an inept educator too boot).  No doubt this is going on in many campuses throughout the U.S. and most of the faculties and administrators probably have the same views as Professor Sragow. However, an educator’s job is to teach not preach and provide both sides of the issues, give a balanced view, and have students think and debate the issues and not be intimidated by their professor.

Since you reside over a California school, I’m sorry to say I don’t expect you to do anything about this, not even reprimand this jerk. However, most adults across American have viewed the utter deterioration of our educational institutions with graduates who know nothing about American values, little about our history, and lag many students in other countries. All they know is what’s wrong with America, not what is great about it.

While Mr. Sragow demeans all Republicans in your state, the rest of us view the collapse of your economy, your high unemployment rate, the abuse of your state pension system, and the mass exodus of people and companies from your state. California’s crime rate, uncontrollable tax rate, and your universities that are stocked with others that share Sragow’s views, all have contributed to your slide to bankruptcy and one of the lowest rated school systems in the country.  Maybe it’s because you don’t have enough of those “stupid” old white Republicans in office and have been controlled by that other party for too long.

As a former CEO and leader, I suggest that this situation merits some action on your part. There is no way you should tolerate this blatant display of academic incompetence.  That is your job, sir.

Very truly yours,

George P. Ahearn, Ph.D

Naples, Florida