update on nku prof. that attacked pro-life display

Earlier I brought you the
story of a professor at Northern Kentucky University that worked herself and her students into a liberal frenzy in class and ran out and attacked a pro-life display.

It seems that one girl has called the group and apologized, saying she felt intimidated into those actions.

The University is stalling for time and hoping everyone will forget. They probably won't do anything but give her early retirement or a semester off. I fail to see how these would be punishments. As far as the legal system, my bet is that they will get off totally or with a slap on the wrist such as community service. The best community service Dr. Jacobsen could do is to not be a psycho.

Yes, NKU parents, you are paying all that money for your kids to learn stuff like this in class. The reason we can't speak our own language anymore is because this is what English departments do nowadays instead of teaching English.

This is from the Cincinnati Enquirer,which is the big daily in Cincinnati.

Prof, others charged in cross case

Jacobsen, students accused of trashing NKU lawn display

BY KAREN GUTIÉRREZ | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS - A professor and six students at Northern Kentucky University were charged Wednesday with misdemeanors related to the April 12 destruction of an anti-abortion display on campus.

Sally Jacobsen of the literature and language department, has been charged with criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking and criminal solicitation. The third charge relates to evidence that she encouraged students to participate in the destruction, County Attorney Justin Verst said.

The six students, who range in age from 21 to 27, were charged with criminal mischief and theft by unlawful taking.

The theft charge is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $500 fine.

The criminal mischief and solicitation charges are class B misdemeanors punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $250 fine.

Verst said additional students might be charged as their identities become known.

Four hundred crosses representing aborted fetuses were pulled from the ground and thrown in trash cans around campus.

A sign explaining the temporary display, which had been approved by university officials as an expression of free speech, was also removed.

Jacobsen told reporters that she had "invited" students in her graduate-level British literature course to exercise free-speech by destroying the display.

She said she was offended by the simulated cemetery, which she considered intimidating and harmful to women who might be considering abortions. NKU's campus newspaper, the Northerner, published photos of Jacobsen dismantling part of the display.

Since the incident became public, NKU's president has received hundreds of e-mails from throughout the country condemning the professor's actions. She was placed on leave last week, and substitutes were assigned to her classes for the rest of the semester.

Jacobsen has received a large amount of hate mail, her lawyer, Margo Grubbs of Fort Wright, said.

She had no idea there would be so much fallout, and she is sorry for the hurt she caused, Grubbs said.

"She never wanted to harm her university or her students at all," Grubbs said. "Twenty-seven years of her life have been at this university."

Jacobsen will plead not guilty, Grubbs said. Grubbs said the dismantling of the display doesn't amount to a criminal act.

"The intent was just an expression of freedom of speech," Grubbs said. "She saw harm coming from it, and she was just expressing her attitude towards the harm."

The six students are Michelle Cruey, Katie Nelson, Heather Nelson, Stephanie Horton, Sara Keebler and Laura Caster. A court date was set for May 11.

NKU sophomore Katie Walker, president of the Right to Life group responsible for the display, said one of the students called her to apologize a day after the vandalism. She could not recall the student's name.

"She was very upset about the whole thing. She said she kind of felt intimidated into those actions, and she felt horrible about it."

Walker said she appreciated the call but still felt that all those involved should face some consequences. The faculty member's actions were especially grievous, she said.

"It wasn't just theft. It wasn't just vandalism. It was the violation of a right we hold sacred," Walker said, referring to free speech. "That kind of behavior needs to have repercussions."

Verst said that based on the evidence presented by NKU police, he would have brought charges regardless of the Right to Life group's position.

"I thought it was pretty clear-cut. Obviously, there's strong feelings on both sides as to the issue involved, but the subject matter of the signs didn't play into my decision."

Kent Kelso, NKU's dean of students, said the university will wait until the court process is complete before deciding disciplinary action against the students.