JESSE LEWIS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Anthropology professor Jefferson Reid recently apologized to his class after students complained about an article he shared with them about evolution and creationism.

After receiving phone calls from angry parents, prof tells class he didn't mean to offend

An anthropology professor addressed his class about statement he made Nov. 9, after a few students' parents called and complained about a reference to evolution he made in a lecture.

Professor J. Jefferson Reid shared a paragraph of a column from The New York Times that ran in the Arizona Daily Star Nov. 7, which discussed the belief in evolution and the belief in the virgin birth in his Anthropology 205: "Clovis to Coronado" gen ed class, he said.

The lecture, as in all of his lectures, was meant to evoke a feeling of controversy in the class, and provoke a discussion on the topic, Reid said.

"I want students to be enthusiastic about their own particular ideas and confident enough to throw them out for review or critique," Reid said.

He said he was giving a lecture on the phenomenon of the Hopi people's Great Abandonment in the Four Corners area. He gave five scientific examples and one fantasy, extraterrestrial example.

He referenced the article, "Zealotry damaging to nation," by Garry Wills, an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University.

"Many more Americans believe in the virgin birth than in Darwin's theory of evolution," Wills wrote.

Reid used the statement to distinguish the non-science perspective of a theory between the scientific accounts of phenomena, he said.

The lecture has been one of the most popular Reid has given, and he has been teaching it for 37 years.

The first two years he presented the lecture at the conservative Christian Baylor University in Waco, Texas, which until three or four years ago did not allow dancing on campus, Reid said.

He has never received a complaint or heard of any student being offended or disturbed by the lecture until this year.

The lecture had nothing to do with evolution; it was an example of how scientific and non-scientific explanations raise issues of multiple narrative or points of view and how the presentations can be debated.

The parents of two different students contacted John Olsen, head of the anthropology department, and discussed their offense of the discussion of the topic. Reid also received an e-mail from a third student.

After receiving complaints, Reid read a formal clarification to the class explaining his use of the theory of evolution in regard to the lecture. Reid said Olsen did not require him to explain the use of the theory, but recommended it.

"I place this in the category of freedom of speech," Olsen said. "I have total confidence in faculty to present complex and controversial material."

Reid said the parents who called Olsen told him Reid made extreme comments, which Olsen didn't think Reid would make, so he said a clarification might be a good idea.

Reid said he received comments from twice as many students who were upset about the complaints and who said they thought their education was being compromised by the explanation.

"The are upset because they feel their education is being limited by a few, as a sort of censorship of knowledge," Reid said.

Reid said he tells his class at the beginning of the semester that the material in the course is presented from the western scientific standpoint, but that other narratives will also be included in the course of study on certain points.

Ian Kidd, a history senior and student in Reid's class, said he was appalled by the acts of his classmates and doesn't believe the formal explanation was necessary.

"I was floored by the whole situation. (When I read the statement) it was one of the most embarrassing things I've ever seen," Kidd said. "I'm embarrassed we had to sink to that level as a student body."

Kidd said the lecture was based on scientifically proven fact, theories that can't be proven are not taught. He said he knows everyone is not going to agree with everything

"If you don't want to learn about science, you shouldn't be in the class in the first place," Kidd said.

Reid said he respects students' religious beliefs and was not trying to challenge them in any way, because he is a religious person himself.

"Individuals thought I was anti-Christian," Reid said.

He was raised Southern Baptist and attended college in North Carolina, Reid said.

"With my accent, people would think I was raised in an area crawling with evangelicals," Reid said.

John Richards, an architecture senior, said as a 49-year-old returning student he has never been so embarrassed for a professor and was disappointed the individuals who complained did not bring up their thoughts in class. He said the apology seemed to really take the energy out of Reid.

"He was asking, 'Let's get involved in a discussion.' Not challenging an idea is OK in high school, but I say grow up," Richards said.

Reid said the fact students didn't spark a discussion could be because they were not comfortable talking out in class. He said he was trying to get students to talk, and the university could make discussions more common for students.

"We've gotten too mellow, we need to ratchet up our enthusiasm for ideas and dealing with knowledge," Reid said.

He said he thinks classroom discussion needs to be more inclusive and professors should encourage it.

"I like to see students argue. I'd rather be a referee or coach than some sort of dictatorial leader," Reid said. "I want students to be excited and charged over arguing."

As a faculty fellow in La Paz Residence Hall, Reid said he has a lot of interaction with undergraduate students, and he enjoys seeing how they react to different things.

Reid said he and the students watched the final game of the World Series this year and the final presidential debate, and he was surprised by the contrast of discussion afterward.

"There was more emotion for the baseball game than in the last debate," he said. "I don't know why that is so. I want students to be enthusiastic about knowledge."

Richards said he thinks students in a university should be willing and enthusiastic about expanding their own knowledge, regardless of the topic.

"If you don't care to get your mind expanded, what are you here for?" Richards said.