Put Your Mask On Mueller And Listen To Your Students And Employer

Photo Courtesy of The King’s College Faculty Directory

Paul Glader is a professor at King’s, chair of the JCS Program and co-adviser to the Empire State Tribune. The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

Dear Colleague Mueller,

Yes. We do need to talk. But put your mask on first.

Your actions in class to teach without a mask and to disregard guidance from The King’s College and public health experts were selfish, short-sighted and embarrassing to you and the college. So was your resulting letter to your class and colleagues. Students and colleagues have a right to question your judgment and your words, particularly in this instance. They have a right to exercise their conscience as much as you do.

There were problems with your actions on Monday, Sept. 28, when you ignored guidance from the school (“Everyone must wear a face covering while on campus.”) about limiting the spread of the Coronavirus and took off your mask in class, as reported by The Empire State Tribune. The problem is that students who attend the college and colleagues working at the college in person are following explicit protocols to limit the potential for the virus to spread on our campus.

You defended your selfish action saying wearing a mask violates your Christian conscience. Yet, you could have discussed that with the President or Provost of the college before deciding to violate their guidance and to put your students and colleagues at risk. So perhaps you need to talk more with them?

The president of the United States operates with a similar selfish and cavalier attitude toward the current pandemic and often chooses not to wear a mask – a simple action that dramatically helps limit the spread of the virus. We all witnessed as the president and his wife were hospitalized this past week along with a growing list of their administration colleagues.

Some people on campus at King’s are taking care of elderly parents. Some students or staff have health issues that make them more vulnerable to infection but they are here in person because of the school’s cautious approach to limit the virus.

Your fragile response that your students were gossiping and being mean to you by posting your letter to Twitter and in the EST also shows a lack of concern for them and others. You seem to think everyone should accept and understand your actions and viewpoint in this case. You suggest your actions in your classroom and correspondence is “private” – “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” logic - based on the wording in our syllabi designed to protect academic freedom. That sentence isn’t designed to protect an ignoramus approach to public health.

If a professor at King’s (or any college) yells a racist epithet in class, slaps a student or defecates into a trash can, I would expect students to exercise similar disdain or question the professor’s judgment. The syllabus statement would not apply.

I learned last week that several students in your class were upset by your behavior and reached out to administrators. I know at least one reached out to you. They had no duty to discuss their concerns with you. You made your view clear by your action and your lengthy email to them. Some were offended that you put their health in jeopardy by flouting guidance from King’s as well as local, state and national authorities.

Your conscience and desire to break such rules do not trump the conscience of the students. Their conscience and voice also apply.

When students and alumni told me they were reporting on the topic, I agreed this is a story the public has a right to know about (not just “wants” to know). The EST gave you, President Gibson and Provost Hijleh a chance to comment. It also published on deadline. It doesn’t sit around waiting for a news story to get old.

In the landmark book “The Elements of Journalism” by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, the authors point out that “Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.” Another principle is that journalism’s “first loyalty is to citizens.” Journalism in America also serves as an independent monitor of power. The practitioners of journalism “must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.”

Your viewpoint seems to be that professors are like monarchs who must be listened to, deferred to and protected at all costs and in all instances. That model is authoritarian and antiquated. It’s the logic of Catholic dioceses, Southern Baptist churches, or Jeffrey Epstein’s entourage sweeping sex abuse scandals under the rug. It’s also Un-Kingsian as this college values quality information and quality dialogue – whether in print or in person, whether initiated by faculty or student.

The alternative model, perhaps, is what happened at your alma mater, Hillsdale College, in 1999.

Then-president of Hillsdale, George C. Roche, retired suddenly after his daughter-in-law was shot to death in an apparent suicide and rumors surfaced (with evidence reported by many outlets) of an affair she had with her father-in-law, Mr. Roche. Although Hillsdale champions freedom and liberty, campus authorities didn’t let student journalists at Hillsdale report on the tragedy even after major national outlets did. John J. Miller, then and now a professor at Hillsdale, reported for National Review on the incident and noted that Roche lorded over Hillsdale like a Stalinist dictator. 

Your email is never truly private. You are a grown-up and should know that. Your right to conscience exists in community with other people who also have a right to conscience. Our actions bring consequences, potentially good and potentially bad.

I’m sure your students are willing to discuss these issues with you more (I’m told they did at length in your class this week). So am I. I value you as a person and respect you as a colleague. But, if we are talking in person, first put your mask on.