Excerpts from 25 emails
about John Gravois, "Mob Rule,"
Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 April 2006
From the many dozens of emails I received in the two weeks following
publication of Gravois's article on my studies of academic mobbing, I have selected
25 for brief quotation below. Except in a couple of cases where I was confident
the author would not object to being named, I've edited the comments to remove
identifying information. Thanks to all these correspondents for adding evidence
in support of practical research on mobbing in colleges and universities. —
Kenneth Westhues, University of Waterloo, 28 April 2006.
1. From an African-American female professor in the
South:
An eye-opening article on your work, found in the Chronicle of Higher Education,
was recently forwarded to me by my attorney. That should give you some indication
of my status of mobbing recipient. I forwarded the article to selected colleagues
who all said, "You mean there's a name for this?" ...
If you ever decide on a revised edition of your work (which I've just ordered
for my private library), come on down to Texas where — as with so many
things that are larger and stranger than life — we can show you how mobbing
is really done.
2. From a white male professor in the North:
A friend recently shared your research on mobbing. I had no idea that
this concept existed but I have lived it for very many years. I have achieved
every possible commendation for my work and I have endured every possible attack:
ombuds assaults, conflict of interest charges, numerous false charges about
failing to follow policies. I couldn't believe your article. I thought you had
interviewed me. It affects everything — my work with my students, my home
life, everything. I often do not know how I will make it to retirement; I wonder
how I will make it to the next academic year. Thanks for your work.
3. From a professor in a private liberal-arts college:
So much of the article applies to my situation at this college as well as to
many others I have witnessed in my years here. What's particularly disturbing
about my situation is that on the surface everyone is all smiles. It is only
behind closed doors, under the cover of anonymity, that the claws come out.
In my opinion, covert agression is the most dangerous and the most cowardly
form.
4. From a librarian in a state university:
I want to thank you for your work. I read about it in the Chronicle
and for the first time in the years I've been at this university, I realized
I was not alone. I have had terrible difficulties trying to understand what
was "wrong" with me, but when I read your article, I knew that the
problem was not me, but mobbing. ... Your work is absolutely critical and the
more you can influence institutions about this subject, the better off everyone
will be.
5. From an AAUP official:
You describe a situation that is all too prevalent in higher education, and
that AAUP should, in my opinion, address. ... thank you for your valuable work
on behalf of all of us.
6. From a former professor living in a small city:
I look forward to immersing myself in your website. Yes, I've seen "The
Children's Hour" and now know the devastating effects of small-town gossip.
Promise I won't bombard you with any more tales of woe. Strangely enough, my
"valley of the shadow of death" wilderness adventure has strengthened
me tremendously. As you well know, it is the hallmark of bullies and cowards
to strike when their target is most vulnerable. ... I'm slowly getting my strength
back. And, when I do, watch out!
7. From a senior professor in a
large city:
I am indeed in the twilight of my career, and I do feel part of this mobbing
is a result of the attempt to get rid of older, tenured faculty. Perhaps I can
seek assistance pursuing that avenue.
At any rate, I will pick up your books and please let me know if an attorney
who specializes in mobbing or related discriminations ever comes to mind. Thanks
again for all of your efforts!
8. From a sociologist:
You have succeeded in creating a community of scholars. More specifically, of
damaged scholars. No, of resilient scholars.
9. From Joseph Blase, University of Georgia, co-author
(with Jo Blase) of an excellent book, a research report on mobbing and bullying
of elementary and secondary teachers:
This is an excellent article. Thanks for sharing.
By the way, Jo and I have received hundreds of heart-wrenching emails from throughout
the US from abused teachers who have read Breaking the Silence.
10. From a junior professor in a small college:
My colleagues especially pointed to the "envy" aspect detailed in
the article. I have taken to keeping my professional accomplishments quiet,
because they are significant, whereas most faculty here do very little. ...
My research has been cited in journals around the world. Soon I will have a
book coming out, a major scholarly work, but I have kept it quiet, not wanting
to further incite the powerful few who have been my antagonists. The students
here view me as an excellent instructor. I doubt you are surprised.
11. From a heterosexual professor on her way out:
I cannot express my gratitude for discovering your book on academic
mobbing (I am today ordering a copy). I have suffered this phenomenon the past
year and a half due to not only being a threat academically, but from sexual
harassment issues as well — I am not a lesbian feminist, while the females
that drove me out are. It has been the most horrific experience of my life.
12. From a tenacious professor in a state university:
How many of the victims in your studies have stayed instead of leaving? Personally,
I believe that the fact that I have endured the mobbing for as long as I have
makes the "mob" even more determined to "get" me. I am the
recipient of hate mail from one or more of my colleagues; of course, the mail
has been anonymous. The administration says I brought it on myself. In your
research, have you found any mobbing victims who have received hate mail? Was
the institutional response to blame the victim?
13. From a senior professor whose wife is a lawyer:
To be quite blunt, you have to have clean hands (which is not to say that I
don't make mistakes), and you must be willing and able to beat the mobbers'
fucking brains in. I wish my mobbers would sit down and reason through issues
but that is not the way it has worked in practice. I may lose, but I haven't
lost a battle yet and I don't expect to lose this one.
We have ordered your books. My lawyers find your ideas are a useful way to organize
their arguments. I find them extremely interesting. My practical experience
with the law is that judges and juries are persuaded by logic and evidence,
not always, but often enough to keep my sorry butt out of jail. The point is
to cause folks to pause long enough to ask critical questions about facts and
evidence. Your ideas may provide a framewok to do just that. The facts won't
change and they must ultimately withstand scrutany. But that's all part of the
process. A classroom in the "real world." Let's see how it works.
14. From two professors in a large research institution:
We are two males who are conservative politically. We were in a department
largely populated by women. The faculty in our department were generally unproductive.
We brought in huge research grants and published 10-15 peer-reviewed articles
each year. Our students regularly were awarded academic positions right out
of our program. We were mobbed by the department. They refused to talk to us
all of the sudden and began making accusations against us. They accused me of
having an affair with a student (denied by both of us), of creating a hostile
environment, and of research misconduct. Some of their complaints were bizarre,
unbelievable. We were in the end exonerated. The university eventually came
to the conclusion that the accusations were driven by academic jealousy. We
were moved to a different school. Our former colleagues have now made complaints
to outside agencies, but the university is now on our side and is defending
us.
15. From two professors in a small
research institution:
We have our union and an attorney trying to fend off an attack from
a mob of faculty and administrators going after us for everything under the
sun including failure to meet office hours, not saying hi in the hallways, not
congratulating a faculty member on a family occasion, harassment, threatening
comments, lack of collegiality, not including others on our research projects,
and the list goes on and on. Instead of calling us into a meeting, we received
certified letters announcing an investigation that has lasted a year now without
any formal complaints on file. We have always received perfect evaluations.
16. From a law professor on the East coast:
This article could not have been more timely. We have a situation that has gone
from bullying to the angry edges of mobbing concerning one of my colleagues,
and so I sent this article around to the entire faculty, sans editorial
comment. I believe it speaks for itself, but we'll see. Please keep up the important
and good work.
17. From a former professor in a denominational college:
A friend sent me "Mob Rule" for an obvious reason, and I
confess that as I read it, I found myself saying (like Jonathan Bean), “That’s
me all over.” To cite only one similarity: like Jerry Becker, I have recently
spent a great many evenings and weekends writing a point-by-point rebuttal of
false charges. I am out of academia now. In many ways (salary, location, benefits,
etc), I have landed on my feet, done better as a matter of fact. Still, the
experience galls and I would like to do what I can so others don’t have
to endure similar treatment. Also for my own peace of mind, I suppose. I’m
offering my case for your study, if it might be of interest.
In my case, the administration was part of the mob, and thus able to bypass
the “quasi-judicial bodies” mentioned in the piece. In fact, I longed
for a public forum before any judicial body, quasi or otherwise. False charges
were made by senior administrators under seal of “confidentiality,”
and then leaked (without my knowledge) to further encourage the mob. This left
me isolated and desperately seeking recourse, which of course was precisely
the intention. This abuse of confidentiality might be one more manifestation
of mobbing that others should be alerted to.
18. From a former dean:
During the discovery stage of the gender discrimation lawsuit I filed,
my lawyer discovered that I had been what you call 'mobbed'. Several (male only)
faculty had been campaigning (some secretly, some openly) for my dismissal.
Due to their influence, others became reluctant, even fearful, of working with
me. After I was dismissed as dean, rumours that I had committed a crime were
circulated. When questioned, the provost said he could not discuss the reasons
for my dismissal because he needed 'to protect me'.
My case has subsequently been settled out of court for cash, continued employment
for a year, pension rights, etc., but the psychological scars remain, as you
can imagine.
19. From a doctoral student:
So glad to see the Chronicle cover! What are the events that
led to the cover story? I am still nursing my wounds but making progress. It
seems very few people understand how wounding a mobbing event can be, and the
scars it can generate.
Again, congratulations with the hope that mobbing will start to gain widespread
and immediate public visibility of the kind it has in Europe.
20. From a retired sociologist:
I read John Gravois's excellent summary of your works. I don't think
I could fully understand the part about original sin. I hope you will explain
this part sometime.
[In Man and Aggression (1973), Ashley Montagu argued at length that
Konrad Lorenz (in his 1963 book, On Aggression) was resurrecting the
old Augustinian notion of original sin. In my view, Montagu correctly understood
what Lorenz was saying, namely, that human behaviour is based not only on social
learning but also on instincts or innate impulses, some of which are destructive.
I side with Lorenz in that debate. So, I believe, does Steven Pinker in The
Blank Slate (2002). KW]
21. From a professor in mid-career, teaching in the
Midwest:
Today I read with interest the article in the Chronicle of Higher Education
on workplace mobbing. What struck me is that it describes exactly the treatment
I have received since I came to this university seven years ago. I do plan on
reading your work so I can develop a better understanding of what is going on.
22. From a law professor on the West coast:
Have you made use of the work of René Girard (emeritus prof
at Stanford and member of the French Academy)? In my view, he offers a brilliant
analysis of mobbing and related phenomena.
[Perceptive comment! Click here
for my review of one of Girard's books. KW]
23. From an aspirant professor:
Have you written about how "high-achieving professors" are
subject to the mob even before they are hired? In the last eight years,
I have been a finalist for a tenure-track professorship three times at the same
major university, top-ranked in my field. The second and third times, it was
leaked to me after the searches that about half of the faculty essentially thought
that I was overqualified to work there.
24. From an English professor:
I congratulate you on your important work. Before coming here I lost two jobs,
one for supporting a janitors' union and another for speaking up against a martinet
of a director who was bullying the women in his program. As bad as the bosses
are, the faculty down here in the states are so cowardly and afraid it makes
me sick. I will contact our library and try to get them to order your books.
Keep after it. I am pleased to know that there are still voices of courage and
reason.
25. From a prominent professor of social science in
a state university:
A friend pointed me to your work on academic mobbing, noting you liked
to collect cases. I think I'm one.
26. From Lawrence R. Huntoon, editor of the Journal
of American Physicians and Surgeons:
Nice article by John Gravois. From what little I know about mobbing
in academe, it does not appear that it has "evolved" to the same level
of organization as in medicine — i.e. sham peer review. I saw a little
bit of this when I was in academic medicine, but it is nowhere near as frightening
and lethal as what goes on in medicine in hospitals.
