#UCDAVISFAIL? University president vows pepper-spraying probe at UC Davis. “The president of the University of California system said he was ‘appalled’ at images of protesters being doused with pepper spray and plans an assessment of law enforcement procedures on all 10 campuses, as two police officers and the police chief were placed on administrative leave.”
UPDATE: Reader Joshua Hall writes:
My daughter currently attends UC Davis. The media coverage of the pepper spraying incident is not giving an in depth report.
The students are protesting the tuition increases at UC Davis and standing with the Occupy Wall Street protestors.
On Tuesday student protestors occupied Mrak Hall forcing its closure (see photos 33-36 here: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/20/4068847/occupy-california-campus-protests.html ). This interrupted normal administrative business that directly effected students. Student and staff safety became a real concern for campus administrators and police.
On Friday tents were removed and students asked to leave or face peppering. I do not think the police used proper judgment. Hence the video footage on the airways.
It’s big of the CTA to stand in support of the students who were pepper sprayed calling for the Chancellor’s resignation. Meanwhile, their union is working to block Chancellor Katehi’s efforts to make available on-line classes to assist student’s ability to finish their degree program in four years. In the end, the faculty is working for their security while saddling students with more debt.
My daughter is a sophomore and two of her lower general education requirement classes will not be offered until her junior year, if at all, due to budget cuts. She could be faced with needing to attend a fifth year in order to graduate. At $30,000+ per year cost of attendance, the union blocking on-line classes could get very expensive for our household. On-line classes could be a tremendous benefit.
Would be nice to see this group of students protest the union. Now that I could get behind.
Not likely, alas.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Were the UC Davis Police Justified in Pepper-Spraying Students?