Sue -- I daresay there's more to this than I can see. You may want to respond yourself.
T
Date: Mon, 05 Aug 2002 09:27:00 +0100
Dear Professor Spolsky,
Thank you for your message. I'm very sorry, of course, that Sue
Blackwell's actions have caused you dismay; but there is little I can do
to relieve it. As you say, Ms Blackwell is acting conscientiously within
the legally sanctioned limits of academic freedom afforded by the British
university system. As her ex-head of department (I handed over to
Professor Marcus Walsh at the end of last month) and colleague I might
well make my own views known to her, but I should certainly not be so
foolish as to try to impose them. The great majority of the profession we
have both been privileged to serve understands the crucial distinction
between individual and institutional judgement, and will not share your
view that the action of one of its members has implications for the
University as a whole.
With all good wishes,
Tony Davies
At 16:39 04/08/02 +0200, you wrote:
Dear Professor Davies
I write to you to express my shock and dismay at what I hope is the personal
decision of your colleague Sue Blackwell to apply political criteria to an
academic issue. Her boycott blackens the name of your institution, and I
hope you will be able to explain to her the harm she is doing.
Sincerely
Bernard Spolsky E-mail: spolsb@mail.biu.ac.il
URL: http://www.biu.ac.il/faculty/spolsb/
This site is owned and maintained by Sue Blackwell.
To: "Bernard Spolsky"
From: Tony Davies
Subject: Re: "A little generous prudence, a little forbearance of one another"
Bernard Spolsky
Emeritus Professor, Bar-Ilan University
Editor, LANGUAGE POLICY
Senior Associate, National Foreign Language Center, Washington DC
Mail to: 32 Habad Street, 97500 Jerusalem, Israel
Phone: 972 (2) 628-2044 Mobile 064-218-146
Fax: 972 (2) 628-5472 Please warn of long faxes
Its contents are in no way endorsed by the University of Birmingham.
It was last updated on 5th November 2002.