Oakland U. Student sues for $2.2 million after suspension for ‘Hot for Teacher’ essay
The student in question isn’t your typical undergrad. He’s a 57 year old builder who was trying to get a bachelor’s degree in writing and rhetoric for some reason.
Joseph Corlett and Mandi Wright of the Detroit Free Press report.
‘Hot for Teacher’ essayist sues Oakland University for $2.2 million
An Oakland University student kicked out of school after writing an essay titled “Hot for Teacher” is suing the college for more than $2.2 million, claiming the school violated his rights to free speech and freedom of expression.
Joseph Corlett, 57, now lives in Sarasota, Fla., after moving from Orion Township. He filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Detroit against Oakland University’s Board of Trustees, President Gary Russi and Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Mary Beth Snyder.
“In the end, he just ended up getting suspended from school for completing a homework assignment,” his lawyer Alari Adams said Friday after filing the lawsuit.
Corlett says he was unfairly kicked out of school after penning the essay in September 2011 while enrolled in English 380: Advanced Critical Writing, taught by Pamela Mitzelfeld. He says the essay, named after the 1984 Van Halen song that glamorizes a student’s lust for his teacher, was a “whimsical exaggeration” of his attraction toward Mitzelfeld.
“Are you kidding me?” he wrote in cursive in the composition entry submitted with the lawsuit. “I should drop right now. There is no way I’ll concentrate in class especially with that sexy little mole on her upper lip beckoning with every accented word. And that smile.”
Mitzelfeld on Friday was listed on the school’s website as a special lecturer and associate director of the college’s writing center.
Oakland University spokesman Ted Montgomery said Friday afternoon that the school had not yet received a copy of the lawsuit and does not comment on pending litigation.
Corlett said he wrote the essay after Mitzelfeld assured him no topics were restricted in the free-writing assignment and that she wanted “the raw stuff,” according to the lawsuit.
'Hot for Teacher' essayist sues Oakland University for $2.2 million (The Detroit Free Press)
Comments
Funny to see this against my alma mater–OU is usually a more laid-back example.
That said, I’m not sure on which side of this issue I can come down on. On one hand, I don’t remember any kind of “zero-tolerance” policy like this. Hell, the final paper I wrote for one of my rhetoric classes focused on political correctness run amok–and the teacher volunteered it for a writing competition instead of having me kicked out of the school. But I can certainly see the teacher feeling uncomfortable with the subject material. Whether or not she decided to report it or something, I have no idea.
Actually, no–I’m having a really hard time coming to this guy’s defense. I’m not sure it was immediately obvious that it was “whimsical” or “exaggerated.” I’m not thinking the school acted all that inappropriately by suspending him–even colleges have standards of behavior to follow, free speech notwithstanding.
In what way does a creepy “I think you’re hot” essay contribute to the “free exchange of ideas,” anyway?
What’s cute and edgy when a 20 year old does it, is less cute and more creepy when a middle aged guy does it.
Telling students you want the “raw stuff” and that it’s “free writing” and supposed to be something like stream-of-consciousness and then fussing because someone took you at your word is a bit lame. Better to just state right out that you don’t want any violent or sexual fantasies because they’re not edgy or transgressive, they’re just dumb and lazy and the students are expected to go for some depth and reflection.
I’ve seen too much “beginner” creative writing to think it’s even remotely possible that this isn’t most of what this instructor gets from her students most of the time. Just never about her and never from a man old enough to flip the power-relationship of student/teacher.