A University of Central Florida professor who is a long time “gay activist and mixed-race philosopher and poet” was wrongfully called a crack head, liar, drug user and denied medical care by four white UCF policemen, according to a letter written by the professor’s colleagues in her defense and obtained by KnightNews.com.
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The ACLU and NAACP were contacted, and a grievance has been filed with the University by the professor who felt discriminated against, according to multiple documents Knightnews.com has obtained. UCF confirmed to Knightnews.com it has launched an investigation in the wake of allegations, meanwhile, many faculty members are coming to the professor’s support.
“We believe that as queer academics, we shall not tolerate nor remain silent in the face
of police misconduct that targets people because of non-normative race, gender, sexuality, or
ability,” Claudia Schippert and Shelley Parkan wrote in the August 22 letter to their colleagues in Orlando Queer Academics.
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The professor, Dr. Jennifer Lisa Vest, said she was stopped by UCF police on Alafaya Trail near Gemini on Monday, August 9, 2010 at 9 p.m. for a purportedly broken taillight she claimed worked fine.
“My car was unlawfully searched, my body was unlawfully searched, I was subjected to abusive language,” Vest wrote in a letter to colleagues which was obtained by KnightNews.com.
Vest wrote that a police officer told her, “I don’t care who the hell you are!” when she told them she “was a professor and not a crackhead.”
Vest said she was humiliated as the stop played out in front of students driving by, and alleged UCF police refused to let her take her nitrospray medication when she started having chest pains — even after informing them of her heart condition early on.
UCF administrators are taking the allegations seriously, calling the situation “an urgent matter.”
“Upon being informed of the incident, UCF immediately began an investigation that will involve an independent third party, the Orlando Police Department’s Professional Standards Division,” UCF spokesman Grant Heston said. “Other university parties that Dr. Vest has contacted are also moving forward with their respective reviews.”
The university will use whatever resources are needed to proceed with these reviews, Heston said.
The allegations of gender-based discrimination come as UCF students and faculty are ramping up their efforts to fight for new policies to promote a greater inclusiveness of transgender students on campus.
The Student Senate passed a bill earlier this year to add gender identity to the SGA Code of Ethics. UCF Vice President Maribeth Ehasz vetoed the bill, along with a similar Golden Rules Committee proposal. But senators are not giving up. SGA Sen. Cecilia Rivas plans to pass a resolution calling for UCF President John Hitt to add gender identity and expression to the University’s non-discrimnation regulations.
KnightNews.com obtained letters from Dr. Ehasz to the Student Government Association explaining she had to veto the bill changing SGA policy because it conflicted with current University policy. Ehasz did write that she requested a more thorough and comprhensive review to identify any gaps presents on campus and compare UCF policies to other insitutions’.
But Sen. Rivas feels more can be done to give students help sooner.
“Dr. Ehasz says she vetoed the two measures regarding gender identity and expression because she needs to work within the institution, but what she doesn’t understand is that to students she is the institution,” Rivas said. “Students asked her to show leadership on this issue and they feel betrayed.”
A Student Senate committee is scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss Rivas’ resolution. KnightNews.com will continue following these developing stories and bring you updates when we get them.
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