Accused student deserves our condemnation, not understanding

As I read Daniella Trimble’s (letter) on Monday, I couldn’t help but cringe. (Mailbag, March 2, 2009) Turning the horrific acts of Sarah Tatum into a political argument was such a stretch. Why would it matter if Tatum is “”conservative”” or liberal? We don’t need to assume any political affiliation; the girl is disturbed. She had the right to choose, instead she chose to attempt to murder her living, breathing child. Luckily her roommates saved the day and reported Tatum to the police.

Defending someone based on assumptions is ridiculous. The facts about Tatum’s circumstances will come out as her trial unfolds. There is no need to preemptively defend someone because of their ideology; by the same train of thought you could defend Osama bin Laden.

What we do know about the case is that Sarah Tatum attempted to murder her child. Let’s stick to that. I hope she gets 10 years.

Ryan Wixted

accounting senior

Options available to women should be more widely publicized

Please consider a story covering the many options woman have when they find themselves with an unexpected pregnancy. There is a wide range, from Planned Parenthood to the Safe Haven drop-off locations.

Any of these options would have been better for both Sarah Tatum and her baby. I hope I will never see a similar case in my career. My heart goes out to everyone involved.

Bethany Kolb

obstetrics and gynecology clinical assistant

Talented professor among many who may fall victim to imminent budget cuts

Do you know Professor Tom McFadden? He teaches Sociology 341 Juvenile Delinquency, and it would behoove you to meet him before he disappears in the next round of budget cuts. Tom and many professors just like him will probably lose their jobs before next semester arrives.

Tom is an instructor who loves to teach and possesses that rarest of all teaching commodities: talent. His daily preparations involve poring over several newspapers for current and relevant articles as well as keeping abreast of periodicals. His in-class presentations border on Tony Award-winning. With endless energy, he enthusiastically brings the material to life in a frantic yet controlled pantomime.

What I find most admirable about this teacher is his ability to engage students in debate through critical thinking exercises. Some people possess magnetism and others do not; Professor McFadden has magnetism in spades. As with all good things though, there is a dark side. Tom’s is the incredibly high expectations he has for his students. His exams are said to be some of the most difficult in the department, not because they seek useless tidbits of information, but because they challenge the students to critically think.

Professor McFadden will probably not be around next year and for that I am sorry. His skill, experience and craft are precisely what this university needs to survive the upcoming fiscal restrictions. Visit him during his office hours and ask him about political activism, crime or civil rights; you will not be disappointed.

Robert Harrold

family studies and human development junior