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>X-Original-To: [log in to unmask] >Delivered-To: [log in to unmask] >X-Originating-IP: [4.172.63.212] >X-Originating-Email: [[log in to unmask]] >From: "Drewk" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: "Capital" class suppressed, teacher expelled >Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 02:28:09 -0400 >X-Priority: 3 (Normal) >Importance: Normal >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 14 May 2004 06:24:17.0810 (UTC) >FILETIME=[15D31720:01C4397C] >X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-new at gn.apc.org >X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 tagged_above=-999.0 required=4.2 > tests=LINES_OF_YELLING >X-Spam-Level: > >"On Feb. 9, the Brecht Forum informed the teacher of its course on >"Capital, Marx's Capital and Alternatives to Capital," Andrew >Kliman, that it does not want him to teach there in the future, >and that it "would not object" to his leaving before the current >course was over. The expulsion letter came in response to Kliman's >and the class' complaints that the Brecht substantively rewrote >the course announcement without his knowledge or consent. The >Brecht's version of the announcement hid the fact that the course >is a seminar on Capital and, without permission, identified him as >having written for NEWS & LETTERS." > >* complete ARTICLE below, and at >http://www.newsandletters.org/Issues/2004/March/teacher_Marchb04.h >tm > >* extensive DOCUMENTATION supporting the charges made in the >article available at >http://www.newsandletters.org/Issues/2004/March/docum.html > > >Brian Martin, a courageous fighter against suppression of dissent, >notes: > >"Publicity is undoubtedly an extremely potent method of opposing >suppression. ... It is vitally important that action be taken >against suppression. This is because the most important effect of >suppression is ... on others who observe the process. Every case >of suppression is a warning to potential critics not to buck the >system. And every case in which suppression is vigorously opposed >is a warning to vested interests that attacks will not be >tolerated." (from his very cool website >[http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/]) > >So please do FORWARD the article and URLs, as a warning to vested >interests that attacks will not be tolerated. Thanks > >==================== > >NY LEFT INSTITUTION PURGES "CAPITAL" TEACHER > >New York -- On Feb. 9, the Brecht Forum informed the teacher of >its course on "Capital, Marx's Capital and Alternatives to >Capital," Andrew Kliman, that it does not want him to teach there >in the future, and that it "would not object" to his leaving >before the current course was over. The expulsion letter came in >response to Kliman's and the class' complaints that the Brecht >substantively rewrote the course announcement without his >knowledge or consent. The Brecht's version of the announcement hid >the fact that the course is a seminar on Capital and, without >permission, identified him as having written for NEWS & LETTERS. > >"Such numerous and important changes are by no means 'purely >stylistic,' as the Brecht claims," Kliman said. "I have never >before had text substantially altered like this without >consultation. I've never even heard of such a case before. The >Brecht has shown itself to be a petty, sectarian institution >utterly lacking in intellectual integrity." > >Kliman had been teaching for a sixth term at the Brecht to an >unusually large class of 23. The course has resumed at another >location. > >Teachers at the Brecht Forum, a 28-year-old New York City left >educational institution, are not paid. The purged seminar leader >is a widely published Marxist-Humanist theorist whose writings >have clashed with established "Marxist" economics. He and others >have refuted "Marxist" economists' alleged proofs of Marx's >internal inconsistency. > >What was Kliman's crime that merited expulsion? Only that he and >the class objected to the Brecht re-writing the course description >and Kliman's biography without his knowledge and consent for its >catalogue, website, e-mail and flyers. The Brecht did this not >once, but twice. The rewriting, which disguised the fact that the >course was a course on CAPITAL, undoubtedly served to reduce >enrollment. > >Although the Brecht claimed the changes were "stylistic," it is >known that the administration dislikes Kliman's work and politics. >One student reported from personal conversations that leaders of >the Brecht were "out to get" him. During another discussion of the >rewriting problem, an influential person at the Brecht complained >about Kliman's "idealism" and expressed disagreement with his >recently published "Marx's Concept of Intrinsic Value." > >The three-term seminar emerged out of Kliman's Brecht course on >CAPITAL Vols. 2 and 3. He and several students co-wrote the new >course's description. Acting on its own, the Brecht changed the >course title to "Four Questions" and removed several points in the >description, actions that disguised the fact that the course >consists primarily of a close reading of Vol. 1. In addition, >Kliman's biography was changed by removing references to his prior >Brecht teaching, dropping some of his publications, and adding >that he had published in NEWS & LETTERS. > >When this happened last fall, Kliman objected privately, and the >Brecht sent out the correct version of the course description to >its email list. Yet when the winter publicity appeared, the >description had again been modified, and the Brecht's rewrite of >Kliman's bio again replaced his own. This occurred even though he >had asked the Brecht not to alter the text without his permission. > >Kliman and the class then requested a correction, an apology, and >assurance that such re-writing would not occur again. The Brecht's >executive director, Liz Mestres, not only refused, but insisted >she has a right to make changes to course announcements without >the knowledge and consent of their authors, even when the changes >are additions that disclose teachers‚ supposed political >associations. As one student said, "There is little doubt that >Mestres made this identification to scare off prospective >students." > >Brecht administrators faulted Kliman for discussing the matter >with the class; they interrupted two class meetings by shouting at >him when the matter was being discussed. Several students sent >letters to the Brecht objecting to its rewriting without >permission. Another objected to the idea that such matters should >be kept from the class. Kliman's several attempts to discuss the >matter with Mestres were rebuffed. > >Many class members think the issues at stake are fairly simple: no >school has a right to rewrite course descriptions and bios without >consultation; the class has a right to present its project as it >sees fit; no institution has the right to publish teachers' >supposed affiliations without permission. Yet some class members >held that a left institution should not be challenged, even if it >suppresses other leftists, in order to maintain "unity" -- even >when changing its practices would not harm the institution in any >way. > >Another student countered that "Only through reasoned debate can >leftists work out differences and problems and figure out how best >to fight. That is, the tactic of suppressing dissenting views is >not only wrong 'in principle,' but produces backward movement, not >forward. By debating and developing ideas now about what >non-capitalism means, we are helping the movement go forward >toward that goal. The process we are engaged in is the very >opposite of suppressing dissent." > >--Seminar participants > >(NEWS & LETTERS, March 2004) -- Chris Jones CSE / Capital and Class 25 Horsell Road London, N5 1XL 02076079615 www.cseweb.org.uk