Parents for a Living Wage

Harvard, as an academic institution, is revered and honored around the world. To many visitors, the University also appears to care about the welfare of its employees. Unfortunately, at Harvard, what you see isn't necessarily what you get. Though it leads the academic world, Harvard has an additional duty--to educate its students about social responsibility and to set a positive example for them. Sadly, the University is disappointingly deficient in this area.

As one of the unruly protesters (a.k.a. parents) who was asked to leave the auditorium during the address by Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 during Junior Parents Weekend, I was dismayed by the cadre of police who were sent to muffle our silent expression. I am indeed puzzled by this action on behalf of the administration, partly because I am surprised that they didn't treat the parents a little more gingerly, but mostly because of the way they used intimidation to squelch the airing of our views about a living wage. The amount of police power expended to keep a few posters from being held up during a speech was outrageous. Having asked me to leave the auditorium while holding up my "Living Wage Now" sign or suffer the consequences, the officer could offer no reasonable explanation other than to say "because I told you so."

Was Lewis so afraid that his shameful response to this issue would be exposed that he was willing to interfere with our silent, orderly protest? This speech was a very appropriate place to inform parents who were unaware of this critical issue. It was also an appropriate place for parents to send a message to the administration that students are not the only ones who are deeply concerned about Harvard employees living below the poverty line.

It is simply an outrage for a university as rich as Harvard to deny its workers economic justice and so perpetuate the great divide of the "haves and have-nots." On the one hand, Harvard lavishly rewards its money-handlers with commissions of millions of dollars but on the other hand, cannot find it in its deep pockets to properly pay the workers who are responsible for making the University run. To deny workers a living wage of $10.25 an hour is unconscionable. Dog-walkers, house-workers and babysitters make $10.25 an hour. Harvard, where is your heart, your soul? What exactly is the problem?

It is not okay to deny people a good night's sleep because they have to work three jobs a day to keep off the streets. It is not okay for the richest educational institution in the world to deny people enough food to feed their families. It is not okay to pay human beings who work for you less than a living wage; that is morally wrong. Living wage. The words say it all. Workers in the richest country in the world, working in the richest university in the world, are being denied a living wage--just enough money to feed them, house them and give them a minute to spend with their families.

So on two fronts, Harvard is not what it seems. It is not a champion of free speech and it is not a champion of humanitarian values. This issue is really a no-brainer, but for some reason it is a fly-in-the-ointment for Harvard. We must continue to fight until a satisfactory resolution is achieved. Larry H. Summers, the University's president-elect, can start off on the right foot and implement a living wage as his first action to right the wrong of underpaying workers and set Harvard on a positive track of social responsibility. Until then, I will join the hundreds of parents and alums who have pledged not to donate any money to Harvard's fundraising efforts. I hope that other parents and alums will join in this boycott until we can be assured that our money will support a living wage for all Harvard employees.

Judi L. Laing lives in Los Angeles, Calif. Her son, Benjamin L. McKean '02, is a member of the Progressive Student Labor Movement.