When UGA student can’t park his scooter, he rides parking services and ends up with disciplinary charges
Should a student be punished for mouthing off? The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education doesn’t think so, and is claiming another victory involving a public Georgia university and student speech. (A few weeks ago, I posted an entry about the Valdosta State student who also won his case with the help of the group, which advocates for individual rights, due process, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and rights of conscience on colleges and universities.)
University of Georgia student Jacob Lovell used a bit of strong language to complain in an e-mail about the lack of scooter parking on the Athens campus. (Apparently, he doesn’t subscribe to the old adage about getting better results with honey than the F-bomb.)
The peeved parking services folks forwarded his e-mail to the Student Judiciary, which proceeded to tell Lovell that he was being charged with two violations of UGA’s University Conduct Regulations, stating, “Specifically, it is alleged that Mr. Lovell engaged in disorderly conduct and disrupted parking services when he sent an email to them that was threatening.” Lovell was required to make a disciplinary appointment by Sept. 13 or he would be flagged from registering.
Here is the e-mail with the bad language removed:
Subject: Scooter parking
Message: To: parking@uga.eduWhy isn’t there any scooter parking near Aderhold, according to your parking map? There’s like a billion places to park on north campus and over by the Georgia center, but nothing anywhere close to Aderhold. What the hell? Did you guys just throw darts at a map to decide where to put scooter corrals? Can I expect you guys to get off your a**** and put in a corral near there some point before I f****** graduate and/or the sun runs out of hydrogen?
Thanks for nothing, ever,
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: UGA Parking Services
Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 3:40 PM
Subject: Re: Your Parking Services Request – Case 000000000016711Your e-mail was sent to student judiciary.
—
Request: Scooter parking———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Jacob Lovell
Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 8:34 PM
Subject: Re: Your Parking Services Request – Case 000000000016711
To: UGA Parking ServicesSo that’s a no?
In coming to Lovell’s defense, FIRE wrote to UGA President Michael F. Adams and the student learned last week that the matter was closed.
“If a student can’t complain about scooter parking, how can students be expected to feel comfortable taking on anything genuinely controversial?” said FIRE Vice President of Programs Adam Kissel. “Yet, on campus after campus we have seen that schools have forgotten that truly fostering a ‘marketplace of ideas’ necessarily means sometimes hearing things you do not want to hear.”
This is off topic a bit, but I spent a night in a first floor Ivy League dorm last weekend – in a room set aside for visitors – and heard students coming in late at night. I was struck by their deep attachment to the f-word, which has become their adjective of choice as well as their standard rejoinder to statements to which their elders might say “wow” or “no kidding.”
I am a different generation and still find the word off-putting, but there is a greater concern: If these teens use this word so often, aren’t they worried about it slipping out in a workplace internship or while chatting with a supervisor?
Can it become a bad habit they can’t shake?
Or is it acceptable now in daily discourse and complaining e-mails?
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119 comments Add your comment
James
September 29th, 2010
11:35 am
While the students email complaint may be deemed inappropriate, it was not threatening in any way. The best part is his response: “So that’s a no”? Haha.
University of Georgia in the News After Trying to Punish Student for Parking Complaint - FIRE
September 29th, 2010
11:36 am
[...] Banner-Herald's coverage here.)Others make the point that Lovell needn't have cursed in his e-mail. Atlanta Journal-Constitution blogger Maureen Downey posits that Lovell "doesn't subscribe to the old adage about getting better results with honey [...]
You must be so proud
September 29th, 2010
11:38 am
Who is Mr Lovell going to cry to when he moves to NYC for his first job and can’t find a parking space for less than $500 a month? Or Boston, Chicago, LA, or practically any other major urban center on the planet?
Grow up Mr Lovell, the world owes you nothing.
You must be so proud
September 29th, 2010
11:39 am
Nice point John – google is an equalizer
Susie
September 29th, 2010
11:41 am
Yes, the kid’s e-mail was crass and ineffective – no argument there. But it’s not UGA’s place to police language – it’s supposed to be a place of higher education and, to that end, should support freedom of expression, no matter how unsavory or unappealing to the “genteel” masses. UGA threatening disciplinary action over such an e-mail is an act of censorship and repression and a major overreaction.
PappyHappy
September 29th, 2010
11:42 am
One would think that a college student would have the ability to express him/herself adequately without the use of profanity. Is this what he picked up in the public school system, or was he too lazy to articulate his thoughts? In the end, HE SURE DID NOT WIN DID HE??
Would imagine that he will carry a chip on his shoulder until a big guy knocks it off — then he will not doubt find an attorney to file suit. Bottom line, he really sounds like a LOSER!
UGA Alumni
September 29th, 2010
11:44 am
It is not the fact that he is not allowed to use those words, but the utter disrespect, lack of intellegence, and the inability to communicate an issue with a department in a manner that represents himself and his learning community in a positive light.
Kid is an idiot….
Willy Wonka
September 29th, 2010
11:45 am
YOU GET NOTHING!
extremerightwing
September 29th, 2010
11:46 am
sounds like somebody stole his wittle itty bitty bowl of happiness. maybe this bonehead will grow up one day and realize the world doesn’t revolve around him. there are plenty of buses on campus that can take his little butt where ever he needs to go.
Steve
September 29th, 2010
11:47 am
It is started much earlier in life and now pre teens use fracking, freaking and biatch on a daily basis in school with parents seeing nothing wrong and the administration siding with parents.
Jason
September 29th, 2010
12:01 pm
Everyf—ingbody needs to just f—ing, chill the f— out. It’s not like the f—ing f—s in my f—ing generation are f—ing illiterate, we just f—ing express ourselves in a motherf—ing creative way. We are f—ing clever with the way we use certain motherf—ing words, and you f—ing people don’t need to f—ing suppress our f—ing creativity you f—ing f—s. It’s f—ing not very motherf—ing cool the way to want to f —ing take away our form of expression. Think of f—ing f—bombs as salt. F—ing sentences are the f—ing food, and f— is the salt. You want to f—ing eat the f—ing food with no f—ing salt, you go ahead, but I like a little f—ing flavor with my f—ing food. F—.
sissyuga
September 29th, 2010
12:01 pm
Was it the best choice of language? No and he probably would not get very far in the real world with that kind of mouthing off. He will have to learn the hard way. However, I do find it comical and I understand his frustration.
Ken
September 29th, 2010
12:02 pm
Why didn’t they answer his F**king question? A**holes.
bighair
September 29th, 2010
12:13 pm
The guy is a douc, er, jerk. He can say whatever he wants, but he is still a jerk.
Also, Aderhold Hall is home to the College of Education. I hope he isn’t studying to be a teacher. Wouldn’t want him teaching my kids.
Bob
September 29th, 2010
12:17 pm
The idea that this pathetic scooter-riding piece of trash brat is contributing to the marketplace of ideas with his spew of ignorance and obscenity is a telling glimpse of what passes for “education” at “institutions of higher education.”
Higher education my unlawfully carnally knowing derriere.
This has nothing to do with free speech. The punk is out of line, and should be disciplined. He should have his mouth washed out with soap, first, and then should have to stand at Tate and write on a chalk board “I will not cuss” 1,000 times. Then he should be required to either get a real vehicle or use his legs, which probably need to be strengthened, anyway.
And by the way, I am writing this as someone who was an arch-nemesis of UGA Parking Services in my time. This is not written because I love parking at UGA.
Brandon
September 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
In total (undergrad and grad school) I attended UGA for ten years, and just graduated in July 2010. Parking Services has always been the abosolute WORST entity to deal with at the University… Completely unreasonble. Not only is parking HORRENDOUS, if you ever complain about getting one of their $40 tickets they will be very passive aggressive and threaten to do things (like report you to student judiciary). I’m not defending the way the guy went about it, but I don’t know of a single person who has ever had a good experience there. When I first started there, you could buy a “commuter” pass for $25, and park in lots all over campus for the whole year. When I left I was paying $360 for my year-long pass, and I could park in ONE spot. There should really be a class-action lawsuit against their ticketing policy…. I could go on, but I’m just glad that I don’t have to park there anymore.
nofriendofuga
September 29th, 2010
12:21 pm
“…we could turn UGA into a cow pasture and the Statehouse into a homeless shelter.”
Wonderful idea! Just do it!
Debra
September 29th, 2010
12:26 pm
I teach at an online university and email is a regular medium of communication. As such, the Student Code of Conduct includes appropriate communication as policy that students need to follow. While there certainly isn’t a list of “forbidden words’ – (which I certainly don’t advocate) – students who are recommended for Student Teaching and Internships are evaluated on their professionalism…and if I were to receive such an email from a student, it would certainly affect how I viewed this student’s professionalism and common sense. No, the language is not “illegal” – but that doesn’t mean the student shouldn’t be held responsible for their lack of common sense. Freedom of Speech doesn’t mean freedom from all possible criticism and critique.
UGA Alum
Allen
September 29th, 2010
12:31 pm
The kid mouthed off in a manner more befitting a 5 year old than a presumptive adult, but it wasn’t threatening and parking services over-reacted. I’ve found the best response to the rude and profane is the calm and formal, with a touch of humor. For example: “Mr. __________, thanks for your email. We sincerely regret the f***ing inconvenience and are looking into the f***ing problem. Please let us know if you need additional f***ing information. Sincerely, The A**holes at Parking Services.” That might at least give him pause to reflect, and maybe even a good laugh, which we all need more of!