Professor Andrew Hallam didn’t violate any Metropolitan State College of Denver rules when he asked students to analyze whether vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention was a “fairy tale,” officials said Tuesday.
The assignment sparked an internal investigation after several students complained that the assignment was biased against the Republican hopeful.
Some students gave interviews to national media about the essay assignment, and one withdrew from the college to work for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain’s campaign, according to the school’s newspaper.
Students in Hallam’s English class were reading “Sleeping Beauty” when Hallam asked that students write an essay analyzing Palin’s convention speech — which was based on her life — to determine whether she was living a fairy tale, said Cathy Lucas, college spokeswoman.
The internal probe, conducted by Metro lawyer Lee Combs and interim deputy provost Luis Torres, found that the assignment did not require students to undermine Palin.
Investigators also found that students never felt personally belittled or insulted by Hallam. No student interviewed wanted Hallam fired, Lucas said.
Metro State president Steve Jordan is recommending that Hallam be mentored and that he curb the use of vulgar language in class.
Investigators also said that controversial topics should have a “substantial relationship” with the subject of the class in the future, Lucas said.
Hallam didn’t return calls for comment.
Allison Sherry: 303-954-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com
