Last night the President of Eastern Michigan University, John Fallon, was fired by a unanimous vote. No reason was given in his firing, but many suspect it was because of his role in the cover-up of the rape and murder of EMU student, Laura Dickinson, in December.
For those unfamiliar with the story; in December, Laura Dickinson was found dead in her dorm room. College officials told her family, students and the general public that she died of asphyxiation and that there was no indication of foul play. Only after Orange Taylor III was charged with the rape and murder of Laura Dickinson in February did the family, students and the rest of the world learn that she had been raped and murdered and that school officials new about it the entire time.
This entire case is just utterly appalling to me. I can understand wanting people to feel safe and wanting to protect the image of the school. But, you don't do that through deceit and cover-ups. Common sense generally dictates that in those situations, officials man a public relations campaign and highlight security measures that have been put in place.
On what planet is it okay for a school to lie to the family about the death of their daughter? Whether it was done to protect the image of the school or to make students feel safer... it's just not okay. There is just no possible excuse for it.
I don't even know what to say about that, truth be told. Did those involved not at some point think "Hey! As soon as we arrest someone for the murder; the shit is going to hit the fan?" I would hope that they had the mental fortitude to put two and two together. Apparently that just is not the case, however.
What makes the entire thing so much worse when added to the deceit, the lack of common sense, and the general disgusting nature of the case, however, is that it has taken so long to start firing those involved. The details came to light nearly 5 months ago and they're just now deciding to start firing?
Yeah. That makes a whole lot of sense. I mean, I would certainly feel safer knowing that the current public security director was involved in covering up the murder of a fellow student. Hell, I might even decide to stick around another term knowing that! Crazy.
What do you ya'll think about this case? Was the school covering it up to save their image or for some other reason? Is it acceptable that it has taken so long to start firing officials?
Reference:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/16/university.dismissal.ap/index.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/us/16cnd-emu.html?hp
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How can someone do that. If a persons child is murdered the parents should know about, and not try to cover it up. Reading about this made me want to yell. It disgust me of what the human race is capable of.
Thank you for another thought provoking post
Well, let me start with that I cannot really understand how that can happen in a dorm room but I guess that is beside the point.
I do not think it is the schools job to tell the parents anything besides an apology letter or something.
This is an example of a complete communication break down. Why did the police not interview the parents, or even let them know what was going...that would be the normal ethical thing right? Or the doctors say anything about the condition... so that they can find out about boyfriends or enemies.
Some minorly related official from the college says "asphyxiation and that there was no indication of foul play" and your just like 'oh okay'that is answer enough for my daughters death...were is the body ID...some things are just obvious right.
really people its not just with the school beuacracy it seems like this whole situation was just full of ....gosh whats the right word...idiots?
all truths are easy to understand once discovered; the point is to discover them ~galileo
Well, let me start with that I cannot really understand how that can happen in a dorm room but I guess that is beside the point.
The VT shooting started in a dorm room. And you know, that's a whole lot louder than someone getting smothered with a pillow.
~C
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How does some one get more or less strangled in their dorm room with 'no indication of foul play'??? That is what does not make sense to me...did the parents think that was a nice way of saying suicide or choked on a candy or something? I can understand that someone got smothered by a pillow in a dorm room but Not asphixiation with no indication of fould play...the later would make me want to know more as a parent due to its vagueness
As for VT thing, that is a whole diffrent situation I think.
all truths are easy to understand once discovered; the point is to discover them ~galileo
Aspyxiation: 2. to cause to die or lose consciousness by impairing normal breathing, as by gas or other noxious agents; choke; suffocate; smother.
So it could mean that she was smothered with a pillow. It doesn't necessarily mean she was strangled.
Perhaps it's a bit hard to believe that there was no indication of foul play, but it is conceivable. Who knows, though. Maybe the parents were just too out of it to realize the cause of death sounded suspicious.
At any rate, sorry for misunderstanding you.
~C
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