A classroom distruption that ended in the arrest of an anthropology student at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee last week is receiving widespread attention because of a video of the altercation that was posted on YouTube by another student in the class. The student who was arrested, identified by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as 24-year-old Robyn Foster, argued with her professor about an examination question and threw a water bottle at another student who intervened, reported The Huffington Post. Three police officers were called to the scene, wrestled the student to the floor, and arrested her.
- 1255 Twenty-Third St, N.W.
- Washington, D.C. 20037
- Copyright © 2013 The Chronicle of Higher Education
While the cops probably could have handled this better, when you allow students to think of themselves as paying customers and the university as a McDonald’s, this is what you get sometimes…
I have called the police before to my class. The student did need to be removed in this case. She was cursing, disruptive and threatening.
Nobody should have to put up with that sort of behavior in a classroom. The professor did a great job of trying to explain and move on. The student got what she asked for. She said she’d have to be carried out. It’s easy to second guess the police. They let her get to her knees and then up to her feet. They could have just as easily dragged her out on her face. Resisting arrest is never a good idea.
I was fascinated by the videographer – it seemed that s/he recognized some history in the making – initially not showing any faces (in fact blocking the camera), and as event escalated, capturing more and more.
When I taught at one of the Wisconsin system campuses, I had a student act in a similar way. She, however, was encouraged by my dean and deparment chair and the administrators actually sat in on my class because this loud and obnoxious student said that she did not ‘feel safe.’I agree with the comment on student-as-consumer thinking and the havoc it brings to a classroom. Whatever went on in that anthropology class, the young woman chose incivility. In addition, the student knows nothing about question-writing but has pronounced a question as being ‘vague’ or ‘arbitrary.’ I have found that students who do not understand what they’ve read or who have not studied well often assail the questions. We need to help them understand their role in this learning process. They are not consumers.
The police department’s response was fine. It was obvious that no rational discussion was going to be allowed. How long do the police allow her to disrupt the academic environment? The response was correct. She had ample opportunity to leave on her own. She even told the police she was not leaving on her own…..they are not going to beg her…..Someone always wants to blame the police for the person’s actions or bad decisions. Blame her.
Please believe me, I am NOT faulting the police. I personally am from a part of the country (Pittsburgh) and a time when spoiled brats got what they deserved. And that’s what she is. If her mom would have properly corrected such behavior when she was a girl, she might not still be doing it in her 20′s.But I say they could’ve handled it better only because this is sure to end up in court. I’m only surprised that the race card hasn’t been played yet on here. That’s what always seems to happen in these posts over situations like this. Perhaps the professor was black?Shouldn’t matter, but just wait til folks see this post. Sheesh….
I doubt if this will end up in court. First of all the young woman was rude, offensive and foulmouthed. She was verbally abusive. i am an African American university professor. I have a civility clause in my syllabi and I explain it in detail on the first day of class to every class. I don’t tolerate any type of behavior like what was exhibited in that class from any type of students, black white or hispanic.I don’t think the race card is applicable here. I don’t think the Professor was black but it would not have mattered. I hope the young lady was expelled, jailed.