Letter from Guy A. Smart to BGSU President William T. Jerome

William T. Jerome, President
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Dear President:

RE: YOUR TRUSTEESHIP OF TAXPAYERS PROPERTY

This writer as well as a great many people with whom we have discussed the subject matter are quite concerned about the small minority of student activities which disrupt the rights of other students to acquire an education.

You as a trustee of property belonging to the taxpayers of this state are responsible, for the protection from destruction of that property as well as other students interfering with the rights of their fellow students to acquire an education without interference. In fact, it is the duty of the Attorney General for the State of Ohio to bring action against those school officials who fail in their trusteeship pertaining to both property and students.

It is further your duty to eliminate faculty members who advocate or teach matters foreign or contrary to the American system.

We believe academic freedom ends where foreign or communistic ideas and ideology begin which are contrary to the American system.

Those who wish to have studies foreign to the American system should go to that country for study. African students and others come to this country to study about American principles, the greatest system of principles that we know of on this planet. Generally, those with whom we come in contact feel that students who wish to have African studies or studies of other countries should be counseled to go to that country to do their studing. It is felt that there is absolutely no valid or legitimate reason for any subjects to be taught foreign to our American system.

We hope that you have strength enough of character to eliminate radical faculty members as well as unruly students where the law or administrative rules have been violated. We see no reason to grant amnesty.

We have heard discussion that some taxpayers in Ohio are considering civil action against State school administrators to compel those officials to make personal restitution to the State for destroyed taxpayers property as well as refunding student fees when those students education is interfered with due to the lack of discipline.

We refer you to Ohio Revised Code Sections: 1713.31; 3345.02.1; 3345.21 and also sections: 1713.01; 1713.02; 1713.06; 1713.08; 1713.28; 3341.04; 3343.03; 3345.04; 3345.13.

Yours very truly,

Guy A. Smart

GAS/ecl

P. S. We enclose an article on Kent State by Dr. George S. Benson which is self-explanatory and places complete responsibility on school officials.

Enclosure