Monterey Peninsula College: Ideological Litmus Loyalty Oath for Professors

At Monterey Peninsula College Requirement, #14 of the school's "Course Proposal Outlines" forced all professors to address diversity and multiculturalism: "Include a description of how course topics are treated to develop a knowledge and understanding of race, class and gender issues." Professor of English David Clemens refused to go along with the multicultural loyalty oath and submitted a course outline for his English 38-on literature, technology, and human nature-with an objection to the Requirement. His course was not approved by the committee, and he was then criticized and attacked by the administration (including letters in local newspapers). FIRE mounted a campaign against Requirement #14, arguing that the requirement went against the tenets of academic freedom. In response to Clemens's persistence and FIRE's campaign, the President of MPC's academic senate, ruled that Requirement #14 was voluntary, and no longer would be a requirement for the adoption of any course.

    Case Materials

  • "Prof. Clemens and FIRE Bring Down a New-Age Loyalty Oath," September 14, 2000: If a public college demanded that all courses cover Americanism or spirituality, the walls would crumble and the cry of tyranny would be heard across the land. Monterey Peninsula College tried to force all professors to address race, gender, and class and Professor Clemens to address "male sexists." Clemens stood tall and contacted FIRE.
  • "What the "PC" in "MPC" Really Means," July 11, 2000
  • "PC Loyalty Oath," July 7, 2000: FIRE is actively involved in supporting Professor David Clemens in his resistance to an ideological litmus test at Monterey Peninsula College, in a case that goes to the heart of academic freedom and new-age efforts to trample it in the name of political correctness.