Hazo W. Carter Jr.: A progressive thinker on the matter of retaliation

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the WVSU Free Press published two seperate, but related stories.

On Tuesday, the Free Press reposted a story from The Houston Chronicle about an additional $350,000 a federal jury awarded three former Texas Southern University students. On August 1, the jury awarded William G. Hudson, Justin G. Jordan and Oliver J. Brown, known as the TSU 3, $190,000 in compensatory damages in a freedom-of-speech lawsuit they filed against the university.

In their suit, the TSU 3 alleged university officials, including former President Priscilla Slade, violated their First Amendment rights following their efforts to expose corruption on campus. In awarding the TSU the additional $350,000 in puntitive damages on August 7, the jury said it wanted to send a strong message against retaliation.

On Wednesday, an article from the Student Press Law Center concerning S. B. 1370 in California was reposted. After passing the Califorinia Senate 72-1, S. B. 1370, the Journalism Teacher Protection Act, was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on August 5 for signature.

According to SPLC, S. B. 1370 was initially introducted into the California Assembly in 2006 after Janet Ewell, the student newspaper adviser for Rancho Alamitos High School, was removed from her position as adviser after she permitted students to write editorials critical of school employees and facilities. Broadened to protect all teachers, S.B. 1370 shields "an employee from being dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or otherwise retaliated against for" protecting students exercising their constitutional rights.

Seeing how a jury and lawmakers had to step in and it in Texas and California, respectfully, it's refreshing to know that retaliation is not a problem in smaller educational instiutions like State. Students, faculty, staff and alumni should be proud that the Mountain State's oldest historically black university has such a progessive thinker in President Hazo W. Carter Jr.

In light of retaliation only recently being addressed in Texas and California, let us recall the insightful and harrowing words spoken by Dr. Carter nearly two years ago on Nov. 30, 2006:

"We will not tolerate retaliation. If there is
ever any of that kind of threat, you can come to one of us."

TSU whistleblowers awarded $540,000

Houston, Tex. - A jury awarded $540,000 to three former Texas Southern University student activists Thursday and let the school know that retaliation against whistle-blowers won't be tolerated.

"We wanted to send a message that this should not happen again — the violation of First Amendment rights and the false arrest," one juror said after the jury added $350,000 in punitive damages to the $190,000 they awarded the trio last week to compensate them for being kicked out of school and temporarily charged with a crime after helping uncover a financial scandal.

After deciding the extra damages Thursday afternoon, 10 jurors were grilled by the attorneys on their thoughts. Several said they were impressed by the young men. Juror Donnie Mathis hugged the three and said she was proud of them.

For more on this story, go to The Houston Chronicle

Hazo W. Carter Jr, the TSU 3 and retaliation

Yesterday, the WVSU Free Press reposted a story from The Houston Chronicle and The Torch concerning the Texas Southern University 3. On Friday, a federal jury awarded the TSU 3 - William G. Hudson, Justin R. Jordan, and Oliver J. Brown - a total of $200,000 in damages in a lawsuit they filed against TSU for retaliation in speaking out against corruption at the school.

According to press reports, the three, who were involved with student government, discovered suspicious payroll documents in 2004. After taking their concerns to both TSU and state officials, including Gov. Rick Perry, the three were expelled from school, and later arrested.

However, the three cooperated with the FBI which led to the indictments of Quinten Wiggins, TSU chief financial officer, and Priscilla Slade, the president. Though Wiggins received a 10-year prison sentenced, the government negiotated a deal with Slade for her repay $130,000 of $500,000 she allegedly stole from TSU coffers.

Like WVSU, TSU is a historically black college or university. Unlike TSU, however, WVSU is not only on firm financial footing, but also boasts of an administration that takes any concerns of wrongdoing seriously.

Let us not forget, it is Hazo W. Carter Jr., who in his 20 years as State's president has never had a whiff of scandal, who has taken a hardline against retaliation. It's unfortunate that his colleague in Texas did not hear the prophetic words he uttered on Nov. 30, 2006:

"We will not tolerate retaliation. If there is ever any of that kind of threat, you can come to one of us."