Kristofer Petersen-Overton, Brooklyn College Adjunct Prof, Says He Was Fired For Political Reasons

A Brooklyn College graduate student was informed this week that he will not be allowed to teach a masters-level course on politics in the Middle East because he is underqualified -- but some suspect that he may have been ousted due to his pro-Palestinian political beliefs.

According to the New York Times, Kristofer Petersen-Overton was dismissed after several people contacted Brooklyn College President Karen Gould to "express deep reservations" about the graduate student's appointment. Blogger Bruce Kesler also posted the Jan. 19 note he sent Gould to his blog:

In reviewing Mr. Petersen-Overton's writings and professional background, I was alarmed about the slanted nature of his works, as well as what can only be termed as his use of hateful invectives against the State of Israel. Mr. Petersen-Overton's curriculum vitae reflects service as a research assistant for the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, a viciously anti-Israel organization notorious for its factual distortions and coverage of Israel, although it bills itself as a guardian of Palestinian civil liberties.

...Mr. Petersen-Overton's personal biases should not be allowed to pollute the academic realm, nor should taxpayer dollars be devoted to promoting his one-sided agenda. I ask you, Dr. Gould, is Mr. Petersen-Overton, an overt supporter of terrorism, really the best candidate Brooklyn College could find to teach this course? Surely, you must concede that the answer is a resounding "no."

New York State Assemblyman and Brooklyn College alumnus Dov Hikind also contacted Gould and spoke out against Petersen-Overton's appointment, calling his work "slanted." Hikind told the New York Post that the Petersen-Overton's proposed curriculum contained many books deriding Israel.

Petersen-Overton was informed that this week that the college would be revoking his job offer. College officials insist that the decision to remove Petersen-Overton was not related to Hikind or the Kesler's requests, but because the graduate student was simply underqualified for the post.

But professor Mark Ungar -- who made the decision to hire Petersen-Overton -- told Salon that many of the college's graduate courses are taught by students still working towards a Ph.D. Along with 11 other faculty members, Ungar has formally objected to the provost's decision to let Petersen-Overton go -- a move he said "undermines academic freedom and departmental governance."

For his part, Petersen-Overton posted this message on his personal website: "Unfortunately, due to external pressure, the Brooklyn College provost has chosen to suppress academic freedom and intervened to cancel my appointment. This is a profoundly unsettling outcome and I am currently challenging it."

Do you think Petersen-Overton should have been allowed to maintain his post? Weigh in below.

Comments

[Sennin]

01:04 PM on 02/01/2011

Israel and the US are butt buddies.

[FreeAmerican7]

12:25 PM on 02/01/2011

It is NOT just in Universities.....
The USA is a COLONY of the
of the Foreign Country: Israel
NO US Citizen can advance as fast as the "FEW who get promoted so fast"
unless & until he/she bows to the Foreign Country: Israel

[SamSeven]

11:52 AM on 02/01/2011

Gee censorship is alive and well on US campuses.

Dont mention ;"I" word or get canned.

[Darcha]

12:16 AM on 02/01/2011

'New York State Assemblyman and Brooklyn College alumnus Dov Hikind also contacted Gould and spoke out against Petersen-Overton's appointment, calling his work "slanted."'

What doesn't seem to be getting through the mods is that Dov Hikind is a former supporter of the FBI-listed terror group the Jewish Defense League, a major supporter of settlement building in the Occupied Territories, racial profiling of Muslim and Middle Eastern appearing persons in New York etc. See his Wikipedia article. THIS is our defender of democracy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dov_Hikind

[Case Biersteker]

10:11 PM on 01/31/2011

Definitely. People can't speak out against injustice anymore.

Israel continues to steal more and more land from the indigenous Palestinian people.
There is no just compensation. Only terrorism on people that want to stay on their land
and provide for their children. Their children are imprisoned for throwing rocks in protest.
Some as young as 12.

And an American can't speak to object?

[ErikW65]

08:49 PM on 01/31/2011

UPDATE: "Professor fired over views on Israel gets job back"

"I just received phone call from Sally Bermanzohn and Mark Ungar informing me that Brooklyn College has decided to rehire me unconditionally! ...

Thanks to everyone for their hard work and emotional support during this ordeal. It was a victory for academic freedom and an outcome I think we can all be proud of."

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/01/31/brooklyn_college_professor_rehired

[T4]

07:07 PM on 01/31/2011

what can you say - this is why we have no view other the what israel and minions and support groups view in this country - this is why we don;t see how our foeign policy deeply affect others and how with modern technolgies and some money whack jobs can wreak havoc on a country. andthe country doesn;t get it - l;iterally doesn;t see how 50 yearsofpolicymistakes create generations of hate -- another twin towers anybody? or step into the Israeli helen keller zone

[Darcha]

04:09 PM on 01/31/2011

Haaretz today reports that the Israeli government is on the offensive to soften criticism of Mubarak. Kittens are coming out their backsides they're so afraid of a democratic Egypt. Is it any surprise that these same people want to silence the tiniest voice of criticism anywhere they can find it in the States? Do you think it's anything new? http://www.muzzlewatch.com/

[Panoptimist]

02:46 AM on 01/31/2011

This decision by the college clearly indicates the fascist, Nazi leanings of a supposed "instutition of learning" in "free America" bought by pro-Israel lobbyists. I will be reconsidering my decision to enroll for another semester. Read "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" for a learned discussion of the illigitmacy of the United States's unconditional cocksucking of Israel. Israel is nothing but a liability for the United States and is the reason for the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade center.

This is an absolutely disgusting move that proves that freedom of speech, thought, and religion in this country is entirely contingent upon Israel's best wishes. Is this America or is this Israel? Pathetic and despicable are two adjectives that describe this move. Nauseating. Get a goddamned clue people. How much more are you going to take?

[ninetailedfox]

11:23 AM on 01/30/2011

I have something to say as an Ex Jew For Jesus. Ive chatted to christians from Isreal known as Jews for Jesus. There is a sect of christiani­ty that resides INSIDE ISREAL and acts like jews, but theyre not. Christians are overly interested in Isreal because they want their Armageddon to happen, and the only way for that to happen is to wipe out all the Jews. I know this sounds like a bad conspiracy­, but as an Ex Jew for Jesus, I can assure you it is not. I am pro Palestinai­n too, because I did a lot of reasearch on who really owns Isreal and why.

(Im a Pagan now, because of my own experiences, come to your own conclusions)

[mcmutter]

07:45 PM on 01/30/2011

weird ain't it .... few people understand just how strange it is ....

[ninetailedfox]

11:20 AM on 01/30/2011

I have something to say as an Ex Jew For Jesus. Ive chatted to christians from Isreal known as Jews for Jesus. There is a sect of christianity that resides INSIDE ISREAL and acts like jews, but theyre not. Christians are overly interested in Isreal because they want their Armageddon to happen, and the only way for that to happen is to wipe out all the Jews. I know this sounds like a bad conspiracy, but as an Ex Jew for Jesus, I can assure you it is not. I am pro Palestinain too, because I did a lot of reasearch on who really owns Isreal and why.

[gibranII]

02:24 AM on 01/30/2011

hate to break it to you folks this is happening all over...many professors are fearful ...our religious right are attacking liberal college professors and just last week Orin and Deshowitz had conference in Florida about how to combat the growing critizism of Israel (hiding behind anti-semitism) on campus... do they not relaize thei may backfire and lead people to think again about our relationship to ISrael... we need a safe Israel that is transparent and moves on it's development.. not academic spys trying to silence critical analysis that might in fact help Israel

[kingly]

05:23 PM on 01/29/2011

Once again Israel stifles free speech--this time in the USA. Isn't it enough for Isael to be facist, now we let them decide who teaches and who doesn't in our own country?

Pathetic.

[David Moshman]

04:33 PM on 01/29/2011

The academic freedom at stake here is not only that of this teacher and others but the right of students to be taught by teachers hired on academic rather than political grounds. It appears in this case that the teacher was hired through normal processes on the basis of academic qualifications and the decision was then reversed as a result of political pressure. That's not just unfair to him. It violates the rights of students by undermining the academic integrity of their education.

[Konrad Klean]

01:57 PM on 01/30/2011

There hasn't been integrity in education since fire was opened at students at Kent University, a human rights and constitutional rights violation which has been interestingly enough omitted from history books.

Education at most four-year institutions has become less about truth, knowledge, and exploration of the human condition, and more about producing lame little ducklings to turn the cogs of the corporate machine which we sell to fools as a democracy.

P.S. Democracy fails once the work necessary towards the obtaining of basic sustenance becomes too easy and people revert to acquiescing their base needs.

[Soma99]

03:51 PM on 01/31/2011

Academia usually represents the interests of the elite in any society, this is noting new. It is common in economics as well, were people that go against the status quo are slandered and labeled as fringe

[xenophanes rescue]

03:11 PM on 01/29/2011

Adjuncts are contracted for every individual term. The school has every right not to renew a contract.

[Darcha]

11:06 AM on 02/01/2011

And every right to rescind his firing. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!