[Anderson]

Following the death of her father.

Amazing...

08/10/2007 07:40 PM | By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter

Below is a copy of the e-mail Dr Paul Buchanan sent to Asma Al Yamahi.

Dear Asma,

I say this reluctantly but not so subtly: you are not suitable for a graduate degree. It does not matter if your father died or if you have a medical certificate.

I have been too nice and given you too high marks all along (at C+). I do not anticipate that you will do better in the final exercise. You are already a day late.

The extension is meaningless because you have not attended the last few classes and are the worst performer in the class.

Of course by a far stretch, you will have the obituary of your father, but even if available and the student health people might have believed you, I do not.

You are close to failing in any event, so these sort of excuses -culturally driven and preying on some sort of Western liberal guilt - are simply lame.

Prove that your father died and you were distraught and unable to complete assignments and - in spite of your abysmal record to date as an underperforming and underqualified student - and perhaps you might qualify for an extension to get a C-.

But as it stands, you will flunk since you are already a day late and your track record is poor. By the way, are you a Hoadley student? That would explain a lot of things.

In a word: NO - I do not accept your extension request.

PGB

Paul G Buchanan

Gulfnews: Full text: E-mail sent to Asma Al Yamahi

He was fired ofcourse, rightfully so...

more here Gulfnews: Emirati student in New Zealand feels persecuted

Gulfnews: Lecturer sacked over offensive e-mail to Emirati

[ChotooMotoo]

Dang! What an butt hole!

[Arabesque]

Yeah, it caused a huge uproar back home. Oh, and worth mentioning, the professor is an American! Like we needed another reason ... haha!

I asked for an extension yesterday. My professor said no, but in a very polite and reassuring way. He said, "You don't need an extension. You're smart, you can do it!" But then again, he's not an American. He's British. (Scottish, to be more specific).

[HijabiPrincezz]

wow. this is pathetic. simply pathetic.

[Anderson]

I met a New Zealander when i was travelling, they're very nice people only makes sense he's American.

[ModerateGuy]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

Yeah, it caused a huge uproar back home. Oh, and worth mentioning, the professor is an American! Like we needed another reason ... haha!

I asked for an extension yesterday. My professor said no, but in a very polite and reassuring way. He said, "You don't need an extension. You're smart, you can do it!" But then again, he's not an American. He's British. (Scottish, to be more specific).

So, you applaud the firing of an idiot who made generalizations towards Muslims...then turn right around and make generalizations toward Americans?

[Arabesque]

Originally Posted by ModerateGuy

So, you applaud the firing of an idiot who made generalizations towards Muslims...then turn right around and make generalizations toward Americans?

I think I have the right and the freedom to express myself in the way I wish as long as I don't violate the forum rules. If you object to my sentiments, that's your problem. Telling me about it won't change my views. It will only make me pity you more, because your efforts to sound like the "moderate guy" you obviously are not, will certainly go unnoticed.

Moderate? You must be kidding. So everybody who doesn't agree with you is what?

Don't bother responding. I usually ignore people like you.

[PhDGirl]

Originally Posted by ModerateGuy

So, you applaud the firing of an idiot who made generalizations towards Muslims...then turn right around and make generalizations toward Americans?

I was thinking the same thing. I'd hate to think that my students attribute my denying extensions to some characteristic of mine that is unrelated to the request. Obviously I don't email my students in the way that this professor did, but I imagine that jerky professors and nice professors exist in all cultures.

[ModerateGuy]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

I think I have the right and the freedom to express myself in the way I wish as long as I don't violate the forum rules. If you object to my sentiments, that's your problem. Telling me about it won't change my views. It will only make me pity you more, because your efforts to sound like the "moderate guy" you obviously are not, will certainly go unnoticed.

Moderate? You must be kidding. So everybody who doesn't agree with you is what?

Don't bother responding. I usually ignore people like you.

Don't bother responding? That's a good way to get someone to do something....tell them what to do.

Of course you have the right and freedom toward your opinion...and I have mine. And my right is to argue against your opinion if a) I don't agree with it and b) I care to do so.

I questioned your logic of making generalizations while you were condemning someone else for making generalizations....and you took it as a personal attack.

"Telling me about it won't change my views." That doesn't sound very open-minded friend. I'm certainly willing to change my views if I think I agree with someone's ideas.

All Americans are bad....is that the argument?

I fail to see how you are entitled to your opinion, but I am not to mine. (And where all the anger is coming from.) Can you explain this?

Oh right...you're ignoring me. Very open-minded....

[MossadConspiracy]

Auckland U must have some crazy rules for firing teachers, if a professor of a course can be fired just for being rude to a student.

Anyway, this really isnt news. There are rude people and jerks on every campus in the world. Most accredited universities in modern countries also have guidelines for dealing with situations like this that do not leave it up to the teacher's discretion. And the guy acknowledged that when he said that he would pass her if she showed proof that her father had really died. She should have just done that, written him a nasty email in response, and lodged a formal complaint.

I should add that going off and crying to the media when some professor bothers you is a very American thing to do. When jews at some UC school didnt like some event that muslims were putting on, they ran to the media. When a biology professor at Texas refused to give medical school recommendations to students who didnt believe in Evolution, they made a fuss about it in the media. Lately, Bill O'reilly has been parading one student after another from colleges and even high schools who whine about how their liberal professors are persecuting them and/or their ideas. Same has been done by liberal students. Same has been done by students unhappy about classes or events that cover safe sex, abstinence-only, drug use, homosexuality, anti-homosexuality, islam, etc etc. Personal gripes that individuals have with their teachers get taken to newspapers or other outlets who use them within some political or cultural context, instead of (or along with) the ombud or whoever is supposed to deal with student complaints at the university. Clearly our culture has penetrated far and wide.

ws

[Arabesque]

MC,

I don't see what the problem is in using the media to expose such racism and bigotry against Arabs and Muslims. Like you said, the Jews do it all the time, and it's proved to be effective. I sent her an email telling her that I supported her wholeheartedly, and I do. She had done the right thing.

Sending a professor a nasty email back is just so childish and unprofessional. The right thing to do is to keep a paper-trail and then file a complaint against the teacher. This teacher was being a racist when he said that Asma was "preying on some sort of Western liberal guilt." Liberal guilt? Haha! Do they feel guilty about the massacres their governments are committing in our part of the world? Guilt fi 3ainah. That was a very condescending and clearly racist remark.

One more thing: universities make a lot of money out of international students. I'm sure the university doesn't want to lose so much money for that one professor. They may have let it pass for him in the US, but New Zealand is not the US. He shouldn't have crossed his limits outside his country. There's an Arabic saying, "ya 9'ayf, et2addab."

Everybody has the right to ask for an extension, with our without a valid reason. It's just a question. He could have either said yes or no. He didn't have to go nasty on her. And the fact that he's teaching politics would make you think he knew a little bit about being diplomatic. He's a racist and an unprofessional embarrassment for the university and academia.

He deserved what he got.

[MossadConspiracy]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

MC,

I don't see what the problem is in using the media to expose such racism and bigotry against Arabs and Muslims. Like you said, the Jews do it all the time, and it's proved to be effective. I sent her an email telling her that I supported her wholeheartedly, and I do. She had done the right thing.

Sending a professor a nasty email back is just so childish and unprofessional. The right thing to do is to keep a paper-trail and then file a complaint against the teacher. This teacher was being a racist when he said that Asma was "preying on some sort of Western liberal guilt." Liberal guilt? Haha! Do they feel guilty about the massacres their governments are committing in our part of the world? Guilt fi 3ainah. That was a very condescending and clearly racist remark.

One more thing: universities make a lot of money out of international students. I'm sure the university doesn't want to lose so much money for that one professor. They may have let it pass for him in the US, but New Zealand is not the US. He shouldn't have crossed his limits outside his country. There's an Arabic saying, "ya 9'ayf, et2addab."

Everybody has the right to ask for an extension, with our without a valid reason. It's just a question. He could have either said yes or no. He didn't have to go nasty on her. And the fact that he's teaching politics would make you think he knew a little bit about being diplomatic. He's a racist and an unprofessional embarrassment for the university and academia.

He deserved what he got.

You're right that he's unprofessional. Obviously it was extremely unprofessional for a graduate professor to write an email like that. Its childish, its rude, its idiotic, its pointless. Theres no reason someone has to behave like a 3 year old. I wasnt saying that she should have written back with insulting remarks of her own. Just something that clearly explains to him how insulting and unprofessional he is, and what measures she's going to take. Like you said she should have complained. But going beyond the school and airing out internal matters in the media in this way is not the right thing to do. It is unprofessional on her part. Just because 'jews do it all the time' doesnt make it the right thing to do. It actually isnt just jews who do this, i mentioned alot of examples not just jews. Anyway this is actually harming free speech in American universities. In that sense, you're right. It is effective. It also doesnt make teachers any more polite to students, because i havent seen the frequency of rudeness or nastiness between teachers and students decline appreciably throughout my life. Actually, its probably been the opposite. Beyond that it is petty and vindictive. The student has means available to them to deal with a conflict they have with a professor. This student used them, I just disagree with everything beyond that. I dont like it when people do it to muslim organizations or muslim professors

But of course its her choice, the girl could have sued him too if she wanted. She couldve done whatever she wanted

[Arabesque]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

You're right that he's unprofessional. Obviously it was extremely unprofessional for a graduate professor to write an email like that. Its childish, its rude, its idiotic, its pointless. Theres no reason someone has to behave like a 3 year old. I wasnt saying that she should have written back with insulting remarks of her own. Just something that clearly explains to him how insulting and unprofessional he is, and what measures she's going to take. Like you said she should have complained. But going beyond the school and airing out internal matters in the media in this way is not the right thing to do. It is unprofessional on her part. Just because 'jews do it all the time' doesnt make it the right thing to do. It actually isnt just jews who do this, i mentioned alot of examples not just jews. Anyway this is actually harming free speech in American universities. In that sense, you're right. It is effective. It also doesnt make teachers any more polite to students, because i havent seen the frequency of rudeness or nastiness between teachers and students decline appreciably throughout my life. Actually, its probably been the opposite. Beyond that it is petty and vindictive. The student has means available to them to deal with a conflict they have with a professor. This student used them, I just disagree with everything beyond that. I dont like it when people do it to muslim organizations or muslim professors

But of course its her choice, the girl could have sued him too if she wanted. She couldve done whatever she wanted

To be very fair, she did not approach the media. The media picked up the story after the professor was sacked. Learning of the story from the New Zealand media, Gulf News (UAE daily) contacted Asma through the ministry of education. It's not like she really went to the media to cry about it. It's natural to make big news when a professor at a reknowned university makes such a racist statement, and that too, to a female Arab/Muslim student. It's not the best time for Muslims, and the West doesn't want to strain the relations more, just like Muslims don't want to be put on spotlight every now and then. It's nice when Muslims are the perpetrators, not the victims.

And like I said, if a university is dependent on cash coming in from overseas students, sacking a racist professor like that is not a big deal. If anything, he only brings bad reputation to the department and the university as a whole.

But you gave me a good idea. I think I'll email her and tell her to file a case against him in court. He should be sued for insulting her by implicitly accusing her of lying about the death of her father, and of course, for being a sick racist.

[MossadConspiracy]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

To be very fair, she did not approach the media. The media picked up the story after the professor was sacked. Learning of the story from the New Zealand media, Gulf News (UAE daily) contacted Asma through the ministry of education. It's not like she really went to the media to cry about it. It's natural to make big news when a professor at a reknowned university makes such a racist statement, and that too, to a female Arab/Muslim student. It's not the best time for Muslims, and the West doesn't want to strain the relations more, just like Muslims don't want to be put on spotlight every now and then. It's nice when Muslims are the perpetrators, not the victims.

I dont know anything about how the story broke, to be honest. But i dont really think that the news media really investigates any teacher being fired from a major university. I could be wrong about that, I'll admit I dont know very much about this (and dont care enough to research it). But I would think that somehow the details of the case were brought to their attention, and that sparked some interest on their part, which led to the girl releasing the email and all the rest. It might very well be that somebody other than the girl was the one to alert the media about what happened. In which case obviously theres less blame on her

Originally Posted by Arabesque

And like I said, if a university is dependent on cash coming in from overseas students, sacking a racist professor like that is not a big deal. If anything, he only brings bad reputation to the department and the university as a whole.

yeah there is that attitude with institutions around the world. Accepting giant donations or big fat overpriced tuition checks from Gulf governments comes at a price. Many universities are really too greedy to face the facts, they are run like businesses and are willing to make compromises in the interest of the bottom line.

Originally Posted by Arabesque

But you gave me a good idea. I think I'll email her and tell her to file a case against him in court. He should be sued for insulting her by implicitly accusing her of lying about the death of her father, and of course, for being a sick racist.

i dont know what litigation is like in new zealand, but in some countries the plaintiff has to pay the court fees if the case is deemed to be frivolous and is dismissed from court. I'd be wary if new zealand is one of those places. just my opinion though which is obviously not worth much. i can do her pap smear though which i'd say is more useful

ws