Non-anonymous/Anonymous
student’s responses are in brackets contained herein.
The Benton County Daily Record
Author: Unsigned Editorial – 1/28/2014
With Unsigned Claims, College Responds Well
“Anonymous pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and even
books have played an important role in the progress of mankind. Persecuted
groups and sects from time to time throughout history have been able to
criticize the oppressive practices and laws either anonymously or not at all …
It is plain that anonymity has sometimes been assumed for the most constructive
purposes.” Hugo L. Black – Supreme Court
Justice, 1937-1971 [Wise man]
“To me, constructive criticism is when people take
ownership of their ideas. That’s why I don’t listen to anything that’s
anonymous.” Brene Brown – Research
professor and author [It is clear that Ms. Brown has had no experiences with
NWACC. If she had, she would likely have a different perspective.]
The still new president of NorthWest Arkansas
Community College responded as well as anyone could to claims of bullying
contained in an email criticizing the atmosphere in the school’s nursing
program. [I believe the new president of
NWACC truly wants to resolve these issues, but she has very little to work with
at this point in time. What is sad for her is that she has likely jumped into
the tiger’s mouth without having been given the courtesy of being forewarned. If
this is the case, this was a gross injustice done to her. It is my opinion that
had she been forewarned, she would not have accepted her new position as
president of NWACC.]
No heads rolled. No disciplinary action. No
unpending of the program. [Don’t forget to
mention that no formal grievances were filed either. This is when the bullying
and harassment escalates to new heights.] Why not? [Because I chose to not be anonymous, and as soon as I filed my formal
grievance, these NWACC bullies immediately retaliated and brought my up against
disciplinary action and my grievance has never been heard to this day . I’ve
lost everything – my good credit standing, my career in respiratory therapy, my
house. I’ve been severely punished for having attempted to stand up for myself.
After learning this lesson the hard way, I chose to be anonymous and was
stalked, harassed, outed, and had a law suit slapped on me. So, you see, there
is no justice with this bullying machine.]
The claims were sensational.
They were also anonymous. [Indeed they
were sensational – and true – and anonymous for a very good reason. The NWA
media has known about me and my identity for years, but thus far they have refused
to tell my story even though I have the documentation and evidence to back it up.
Again, anonymous or not, I have been unable to get my story out there, and my grievance
heard so as to help prevent other wronged NWACC students/clients from having to
go through the same brutality. My due process rights were grossly violated, per
the United States Constitution, per the Arkansas Constitution of 1874, and per NWACC
policy. NWACC broke almost every one of their own policies in the handling of my
grievance that was immediately turned into disciplinary action and wrongful expulsion
just three weeks prior to graduation and after attending NWACC for 3.5 years. Additionally,
there were the two years of brutal bullying that I was forced to endure by respiratory
therapy director, Alan Clark, respiratory therapy instructor, Michelle Frazier,
and dean of health professions, Mary Ross. And I have interviewed countless wronged
NWACC students whose stories are similar to mine.]
Anonymity at the least raises questions about
veracity and credibility [I respectfully
disagree. There is a fallacy to this argument that I have already elaborated upon.] People who
do not openly stand by their criticisms do not deserve the same attention as
those who will. [Again, I respectfully disagree.
The NWA media has known about NWACC corruption/bullying for years - it’s been
going on since they opened their doors in 1990 - but uses this discrediting of
the anonymous argument as an excuse not to have to cover these stories. To
discredit the anonymous who have obvious and real concerns because they are in
fear for their safety and well-being is the same as turning one’s back on those
who are in the most need of help. Those who choose to be anonymous are clearly
oppressed individuals and they have very good reasons for wishing to remain anonymous.
My suggestion for how to deal with the anonymous is to listen to their stories
and study their evidence to see if their choice of remaining anonymous is
legitimate or not. I believe it is a gross injustice to just dismiss anonymous
individuals based on the fallacy of this argument.]
This criticism came
from “Concerned NWACC Nursing Class of 2014.” The email so signed claimed two
instructors singled out students to “bully, harass and sabotage their efforts
to learn.” [This is exactly what
happened to me and to many other wronged NWACC students/clients/victims.] It
also was critical of teaching techniques [Correct
– they don’t teach much in the nursing program, nor in the respiratory therapy
program. They read power point
presentations to the class and use trickery methods in their testing practices.
They also practice grades tampering.] The sender(s) alleged program
instructors initially failed 63 percent of the class then changed grades to
reflect a 20 percent failure rate. [I
have the evidence to prove that grades tampering occurs at NWACC.]
A reporter for this newspaper made contact with the
email account from which the note was sent, identifying its user as a woman who
believed her letter speaks for “just about every student in the nursing
program.” [Yes, it does. This student is
absolutely correct about this.] “We are taking the allegations from these anonymous
students very seriously,” President Evelyn Jorgenson said in a statement. “I am
personally looking into the situation and reviewing all available information.”
[Thank you, President Jorgenson. There
are so many wronged NWACC students/clients/victims who appreciate your efforts
to get to the bottom of this. I possess all the information that you need in order
for you to understand the immense task you have ahead of you in resolving these
issues. I’m here and I’m not anonymous, and I am the face and voice for these
students. My story is their story. Their story is my story.]
Jorgenson is responding exactly as she should [Indeed, she is], by investigating what
she can about the claims contained in a document that could be accurate [It is completely accurate], could be
completely false [Let’s strike this option]
or could result from misunderstandings [Let’s
strike this option, too. These claims are completely accurate and there are no
misunderstandings.] The assertions made deserve a serious examination
solely by their nature. [Indeed they do.
An in-depth investigation by a neutral third party of the entire institution would
be highly recommended. I believe this undertaking requires that President Jorgenson
be provided with help as this is an almost impossible task for her to have to undertake
alone. She needs and deserves help.]
It’s fathomable prior college
administrators viewed the anonymity as the only factor, using it to dismiss the
need for a more in-depth review. [They
used this as an excuse to dismiss their students/clients/victims in order to
cover up their rampant bullying and corruption.] The sender of this e-mail
clearly feels retribution or, worse, inaction. [Actually, it’s the other way around. The retaliation after submitting a
formal grievance is much more brutal than inaction.] Jorgenson seems to
appreciate the value of dealing with such issues directly, and that can only
serve to help diminish the anonymous fears and concerns. It will be instructive
to learn what comes of the complaint. [I’m
here to help you in any way I can, President Jorgenson, with whatever
information you need. I, and my cohorts, have all the information you need to
get to the bottom of this.]
Strangely, while the anonymous sender(s) claimed instructors
were not teaching and students learned only through their own efforts, a local
hospital who hires from the program reports having no issues with the nurses
they’ve hired. [Very strange, indeed.
This person is a CEO sitting in his ivory tower and has no clue what’s going on
in his very own hospital. Most NWACC students I interviewed were informed that
the local hospitals strongly dislike NWACC students. I, too, was told this. In
fact, the UofA will no longer take NWACC nursing credits because they know that
NWACC teaches very little to their students.]The college needs a robust
program that is challenging academically. [Yes
it does, which they don’t have. Rather, it’s all about trickery, grades tampering,
bullying, favoratism, and harassment.] After all, nobody wants to have the D-minus
student who barely passed working his floor at a hospital. [Correct, but what about the A student whose grades have been tampered
with and altered to show a D-minus?]
Nursing is a tough job, so a nursing
program ought to be tough, but certainly not abusive. [NWACC’s nursing program is tough, but only in the sense that these
students are put through a rigorous two years of bullying, harassment, grades
tampering, favoritism, nasty politics, dividing and conquering the class, and
the list goes on and on. It’s horrific what NWACC’s nursing program and respiratory
therapy program puts their students/clients/victims through. It’s in total
violation of the universal declaration of human rights.]
(And, yes, this editorial is unsigned. That’s not
anonymity. The daily editorial reflects the stance of this newspaper as
determined by an editorial board made up of Publisher Rusty Turner, local
editors Mike Jones and Leeanna Walker and Opinion Page Editor Greg Harton.)
[Signed
Non-Anonymous/Anonymous Wronged NWACC Allied Health Student/Client/Victim (it doesn’t
much matter, anonymous or not, the end result is the same.)]
