Blacklists Silence All Expression of Grievances

To the editors:

I strongly agree with the argument made in “Harvard’s Blacklist” (Editorial, Mar. 7) with one exception. The support that The Crimson Staff gives to University President Lawrence H. Summers’s efforts to prevent “any further disruptive behavior of this kind,” is misplaced.

The “disruptive behavior” to which the administration’s “letter of warning” refers was in fact a peaceful, orderly expression of grievances. After explaining that they were there to make a brief presentation, the janitors who were present gave testimonies about their needs, presented, along with their student supporters, a short skit about the contract negotiations and then left the building as promised.

This behavior was consistent with the vision of the same University-wide statement on Rights and Responsibilities that Summers recently interpreted. That document makes clear that “it is the responsibility of officers of administration and instruction to be alert to the needs of the University community; to give full and fair hearing to reasoned expressions of grievances; and to respond promptly and in good faith to such expressions and to widely expressed needs for change.”

One wonders how Summers will fulfill this responsibility if he considers any member of the university community who enters an administrative building without an appointment to be “interfer[ing] with members of the University in the performance of their normal duties.” I know it may be his first year, but Summers seems slow to learn that his normal duties should include responding to the University community’s grievances.

Ariel Z. Weisbard ’02-’03

Mar. 4, 2002

The writer is a member of the Progressive Student Labor Movement.