# Should universities hire terrorists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 15, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785 "2013-04-15T20:27:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/21 "2013-04-16T12:22:53Z")
I question why this is news now, and not in 2008 when they first hired her. Also, she is teaching classes that are clearly specific to her experience, on the difficulties facing prisoners and their families while in prison and when released. She’s not teaching ‘How to be a terrorist 101’. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/22 "2013-04-16T15:27:21Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Do you have reason to doubt her rehabilitation? Yes, the current rehabilitation success rate in the United States of America speaks, loudly. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/23 "2013-04-16T15:31:06Z")
What’s the rehabilitation rate for priviliged white people? (Here I assume the lady’s white though…) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/24 "2013-04-16T15:38:04Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Yes, the current rehabilitation success rate in the United States of America speaks, loudly. By that logic, if someone is charged with a crime, they must be guilty; because the conviction rate is so high. Therefore, if someone has ever been arrested, they should be barred from most jobs, because it’s likely that they actually did what they were accused of. It’s just statistics, people!! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/25 "2013-04-16T15:39:23Z")
I doubt she’s a terrorist anymore. She’s an ex-terrorist at best. As one of those, I think she might be ideally suited to teach young people about the dangers of getting wrapped up in criminal activities. If I believed she regretted her past actions, and if she was otherwise qualified, I’d hire her in a second to teach at the University (or high school) level. But that’s just me, I don’t hold grudges. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/26 "2013-04-16T16:20:55Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > By that logic, if someone is charged with a crime, they must be guilty; because the conviction rate is so high. > > Therefore, if someone has ever been arrested, they should be barred from most jobs, because it’s likely that they actually did what they were accused of. It’s just statistics, people!! Your question was "Do you have reason to doubt her rehabilitation rate? to which I answered yes. Yes there is reason to doubt her rehabilitation due to the failures of the current system. Unless you need to restate your question, maybe you think the rehabilitation rate should have us believe that everyone we release from prison is rehabilitated? By your logic maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/27 "2013-04-16T16:26:14Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Your question was "Do you have reason to doubt her rehabilitation rate? to which I answered yes. You gave no reason why you doubted _her_ rehabilitation. Looking at what _her_ crimes were and what _she_ has done since then, why do you doubt _her_ rehabilitation? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/28 "2013-04-16T16:42:11Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Should universities hire _terrorists_? > > I can’t even think why a university would need to have a terrorist on staff. And what department would a terrorist be placed in? Maintenance? Physical Plant? Groundskeeping? > > Maybe they should just contract on an as-needed basis from a temp agency. I think you were joking, but your comment gives me a good leaping off point to list what she did in prison (from wiki): > [@](#): > > Boudin was incarcerated in the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York where she worked with AIDS patients and in adult education. While there, she had a central role in creating five formal programs:[6] > the Teen Program, supporting teens and pre-teens whose mothers are incarcerated, strengthening the mother-child bond during their separation, and helping the teens become positive, healthy, young adults; > the Parent Education Program, helping inmate mothers to learn to be responsible parents to pre-school, grade school and teenage children while separated by prison; > the Adult Literacy Program, which used an innovative curriculum that Boudin wrote, was an outgrowth of the work she did for her Masters Degree in Adult Education, earned while at Bedford Hills; > the AIDS and Women’s Health Program is the first peer community health program devoted to AIDS among prisoners; and > the College Program, which provided courses and degrees to incarcerated women. Boudin helped organize a consortium of private colleges to offer this program after New York State cut all public funding for higher education in prisons. Son of Sam she is not. She tried to make things better, really tried. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/29 "2013-04-16T16:46:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You gave no reason why you doubted _her_ rehabilitation. Looking at what _her_ crimes were and what _she_ has done since then, why do you doubt _her_ rehabilitation? Again, our rehabilitation rate gives us reason to _doubt_ everyone when they get out. Why would it be different with her? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/30 "2013-04-16T16:48:20Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Again, our rehabilitation rate gives us reason to _doubt_ everyone when they get out. Why would it be different with her? Did you read about what she has done? ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/31 "2013-04-16T17:00:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Did you read about what she has done? The world isn’t as myopic as all that. You can narrow your scrutiny until you have a sample size of 1 (which you are trying to do) It doesn’t change how the real world sees her, or a whole host of others. Yes, I read what she has done. She has done some good where she was imprisoned. That doesn’t necessarily mean that she should be granted a position of power. You evidently disagree, can you explain why you feel she should? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/32 "2013-04-16T17:03:36Z")
College professors need not be saints. They need to have something to say and a way to say it. Columbia was under no obligation to give this woman a position, but I think it was a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/33 "2013-04-16T17:04:42Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > The world isn’t as myopic as all that. You can narrow your scrutiny until you have a sample size of 1 (which you are trying to do) > > It doesn’t change how the real world sees her, or a whole host of others. > > Yes, I read what she has done. She has done some good where she was imprisoned. That doesn’t necessarily mean that she should be granted a position of power. You evidently disagree, can you explain why you feel she should? I don’t have to. The proposition put forth, that you support, is that she _shouldn’t_, and I’m not seeing any actual reason why. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/34 "2013-04-16T17:07:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I don’t have to. The proposition put forth, that you support, is that she _shouldn’t_, and I’m not seeing any actual reason why. No, the proposition put forth by me is that there is some doubt as to whether or not she should. You keep trying to assign a position to me that you want me to argue for, I won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/35 "2013-04-16T17:08:41Z")
You’re Just Asking Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/36 "2013-04-16T17:14:46Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > No, the proposition put forth by me is that there is some doubt as to whether or not she should. > > You keep trying to assign a position to me that you want me to argue for, I won’t. What _is_ your argument for your position, besides the fact that rehabilitation has a a poor record overall? She was hired back in 2008-what has come up, either before or after she was hired, that has you doubting her rehabilitation? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/37 "2013-04-16T17:49:55Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > The world isn’t as myopic as all that. You can narrow your scrutiny until you have a sample size of 1 (which you are trying to do) > > It doesn’t change how the real world sees her, or a whole host of others. > > Yes, I read what she has done. She has done some good where she was imprisoned. That doesn’t necessarily mean that she should be granted a position of power. You evidently disagree, can you explain why you feel she should? So you feel the judgment of a private institution that appears to have taken the time to talk to the ex-convict in question and deliberate on her own personal circumstances should be vetoed on the basis that you think the American prison system is, on the whole, not as effective as it should be. You can’t show why this private institution may have erred in their judgment, because you have no reason to examine the substance of their conclusion. You just think they’re wrong. I would be embarrassed to put forth such a lame, appeal to ignorance type of argument. Of course, let’s just keep pretending that politics has nothing – NOTHING – to do with this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/38 "2013-04-16T17:54:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What _is_ your argument for your position, besides the fact that rehabilitation has a a poor record overall? She was hired back in 2008-what has come up, either before or after she was hired, that has you doubting her rehabilitation? The same thing that has me doubting it now. Honestly, is my position so very hard for you to grasp? **Ravenman** put forth a question of “Do you have reason to doubt her rehabilitation?”. I answered with yes due to the rehabilitation rate failures we have in the US. Why is this not a good enough answer for you? My answer would be the same if I had answered in 2008, 2013 or 2304 ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/39 "2013-04-16T17:57:08Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > So you feel the judgment of a private institution that appears to have taken the time to talk to the ex-convict in question and deliberate on her own personal circumstances should be vetoed on the basis that you think the American prison system is, on the whole, not as effective as it should be. You can’t show why this private institution may have erred in their judgment, because you have no reason to examine the substance of their conclusion. You just think they’re wrong. > > I would be embarrassed to put forth such a lame, appeal to ignorance type of argument. > > Of course, let’s just keep pretending that politics has nothing – NOTHING – to do with this issue. You keep repeating these things that you say I said, why is that? Can you not demolish my argument as it stands on it’s own merit? Doubt. Was there a reason to doubt her rehabilitation? Yes there was. Why? The current failures of the rehabilitation rate in the current US prison system. End. You can keep stacking up those scarecrows if you want but I won’t be defending a position I didn’t take. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785/40 "2013-04-16T18:02:05Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Doubt. Was there a reason to doubt her rehabilitation? Yes there was. Why? The current failures of the rehabilitation rate in the current US prison system. Not doubt. Reason. The discrimination of facts and logic from prejudice and supersitition. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-universities-hire-terrorists/655785.md?page=3)