as the classic debate between free speech and hate/speech and defamation goes on, i would like to apologize to anyone who i have offended.

when i spoke today at the ASO meeting i spoke of the "lynching" of sheila d.
i told the LACC student government that to put a woman of color on trial in 2010 is a waste of time.

they are conducting themselves like the salem witch trial or mcarthy era red scare.

those of us with our eye on the future know that transparency in all things will be the norm for the future generation.

i will be videoblogging tonight at laccequalitycoalition tonight.

i think sheila should pursue this as harassment and discrimination, exhaust the (ineffective) administrative remedies and proceed to court.

unfortunately the harassing and discriminatory and defamatory conduct of the ASO will redound to the LACC adnministration and the LACC district.

that a woman of color could have her character impugned by a power bloc of men, bent on wasting school resources on enacting their petty power display and vengeance, is actionable.

that the administration enables this monkey court to conduct its sexist and racist hate campaign, and squander student trust, is but another failure in a long list of failures.

i, mary eng, founder of the LACC Equality Coalition, do not endorse the sexist and racist action of the ASO.

nor to i accept attempts to censor my blog or sanitize language.
my blog is not here to whitewash LACC harassment and discrimination.

that Joseph Tolle, ASO VP for finance, screamed at me under the voting tent today when i told him not to touch me, will be written up tomorrow in cristy passman's office.

after i spoke against the divisiveness on campus twice in the opening forum, he came up to me and wrapped his arm around me.  i looked at his hand on my arm and said, "i don't know who you are.  who are you?"

i proceeded to get his name and email and his expression of confidence.
he came to me during the recess and tried to put his hand on me twice as he explained why sheila should be impeached.

i flinched and puled away and he muttered, "i'm sorry."

then later in the courtyard, i realized, his condescending pattern of unwanted and unsolicited touching must stop.

he put his hand on my shoulder again.
i said "don't touch me.  i don't know who you are.  you shouldn't touch strangers."

he then screamed at me that i touched him and there was a double standard.
this is completely untrue, as i hadn't touched him.
i couldn't believe he would scream at me in public.
about ten people were present.
i can't believe he is a student government representative.

earic peters clarified the heirarchy of the grievance procedure, and let me know that cristy passman is the appropriate place to discuss my assertion that the use of the words in class "show your tits" twice and then "tits and ass" shouted, constitute an unfair hostile atmosphere for women to pursue their education in peace.

he kept repeating himself.
i told him cristy passman said i should go to student government to start a program for equality in education.
he said that is not ASO's function.
that's christy passman's function.
i told him she is ineffective and brushes stuff under the rug.
andrea bari said even a teacher who complained about students saying harassing stuff found her to be very dismissive.
a security officer student told me there is a history teacher on campus who always has to say bad words.
i told him we should do an interview.

i hope to refocus some of these issues on to youtube, which might be a more effective medium.

as for scott clapson who told me i should not use the word "lynch,"
i said to him, yes it is a strong word.  it conveys racism.  it conveys unfairness.

he said he would get a cease and desist letter to make me take them off the blog.
i told him i already have a takedown letter from eric kim (on intellectual property grounds).

he conveyed a bungled version of my broadcast in which i called the classroom style authoritarian and fascistic.
i did not call anyone in particular a fascist.
i also wrote to the teacher more specifically addressing the way he talks down to women when they speak in class.
my new friend gabby, who is heading up the denim day rape awareness film competition, told me she notices this too, and for that reason, stays silent in class.
when i witnessed it early in the semester, i almost arose to the defense of the student who was being put down, but realized i wasn't ready to jeopardize my grade and reputation.
now i can see the larger picture of how this too, has happened to me, and to her over and again.

the funny thing about alleging sexism, is that sometimes sexist people are moreover misanthropist.
so it gets fuzzy sometimes when the hatred gets doled out 60% women/40% to men, etc.

as etymology was sighted by the professor himself, the origin of the word "fasces" from the latin for the sticks of power might be helpful.

as blogs are powerful, technology can be powerful, education can be powerful, i would recommend that the ASO and LACC district counsel worry less about what happens on the blogosphere and more about the PR nightmares and violations of equality in education statutes that occur on their watch.

they shouldn't try to silence me, but get to the root of the problem, and head off these lawsuits which really waste the school budget.

meanwhile they are crucifying sheila for an old school copy machine going haywire, citing wasted paper as fiscal irresponsibility, i wonder . . .

lawsuits, frivolous power displays . . . are . . .

that another grown man would raise his voice at me at LACC, means i am enduring psychological abuse as a result of my attempting to finish up my paralegal classes at LACC.

i am not intimidated easily, but i do see the negative effects of this eating my soul.

i am really happy to have met jay cortez's campaign manager jaden ledkins who shares my enthusiasm for technology and the acceleration of IT power to facilitate learning.
we here, are a part of the digital divide.

we need to make tech a part of the LACC experience!!!!

i asked ASO to get behind bambusering the next ASO meeting which will be another stoning of sheila dharod.

wouldn't it be great to videocast ASO pettiness, divisiveness, etc.?
i am so ashamed.

it should be on the internet how mean and vicious and petty the proceedings are.

plan to upload my quicktime footage later and broadcast audio tonight.

for fun check out this bit of california code:

EDUCATION CODE 
SECTION 234-234.3 

234.  (a) This article shall be known and may be cited as the Safe
Place to Learn Act.
   (b) It is the policy of the State of California to ensure that all
local educational agencies continue to work to reduce
discrimination, harassment, and violence. It is further the policy of
the state to improve pupil safety at schools and the connections
between pupils and supportive adults, schools, and communities.




234.1.  The department, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
64001, shall monitor adherence to the requirements of Chapter 5.3
(commencing with Section 4900) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the
California Code of Regulations and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
200) as part of its regular monitoring and review of local
educational agencies, commonly known as the Categorical Program
Monitoring process. The department shall assess whether local
educational agencies have done all of the following:
   (a) Adopted a policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment
based on the characteristics set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal
Code and Section 220.
   (b) Adopted a process for receiving and investigating complaints
of discrimination and harassment based on the characteristics set
forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code and Section 220.
   (c) Publicized antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies,
including information about the manner in which to file a complaint,
to pupils, parents, employees, agents of the governing board, and the
general public. The information shall be translated pursuant to
Section 48985.
   (d) Posted antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies in all
schools and offices, including staff lounges and pupil government
meeting rooms.
   (e) Maintained documentation of complaints and their resolution
for a minimum of one review cycle.
   (f) Ensured that complainants are protected from retaliation and
that the identity of a complainant alleging discrimination or
harassment remains confidential, as appropriate.
   (g) Identified a responsible local educational agency officer for
ensuring district or office compliance with the requirements of
Chapter 5.3 (commencing with Section 4900) of Division 1 of Title 5
of the California Code of Regulations and Chapter 2 (commencing with
Section 200).

234.1.  The department, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
64001, shall monitor adherence to the requirements of Chapter 5.3
(commencing with Section 4900) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the
California Code of Regulations and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
200) as part of its regular monitoring and review of local
educational agencies, commonly known as the Categorical Program
Monitoring process. The department shall assess whether local
educational agencies have done all of the following:
   (a) Adopted a policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment
based on the characteristics set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal
Code and Section 220.
   (b) Adopted a process for receiving and investigating complaints
of discrimination and harassment based on the characteristics set
forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code and Section 220.
   (c) Publicized antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies,
including information about the manner in which to file a complaint,
to pupils, parents, employees, agents of the governing board, and the
general public. The information shall be translated pursuant to
Section 48985.
   (d) Posted antidiscrimination and antiharassment policies in all
schools and offices, including staff lounges and pupil government
meeting rooms.