Solidarity with Peter Mayo

Left wing intellectual, Peter Mayo, international figure in critical pedagogy, Adult Education and Gramsci among others, has been denied extension of service at his University, the University of Malta, ostensibly, he tells me, because of some low teaching input He explains that this was a one off this year for reasons beyond his control, which can easily be examined by his teaching loads in other years, despite his sterling work as UNESCO Chair in Global Adult Education. It is hard to avoid suspicion that other motives are afoot. How can such a Scholar of international repute be treated so shabbily after bringing great honour to his University?

We call on the Rector of the University of Malta, Professor Alfred Vella, to nudge his University body to revoke this shameful decision and restore justice. This strikes me as a blow dealt not only to Peter Mayo but to academic life itself. Too much heartless and mechanistic bureaucratisation has crept into higher education worldwide. I wonder, given Professor Mayo's standing worldwide, whether as elsewhere, towing the line and living the zombie culture gets people ahead in the higher education game.

Malta has had too much negative publicity in recent years to add lack of academic justice to the list. Knowing Malta's history, it deserves better. Surely this is not a way to treat one's most productive academics and intellectuals. Restore him to his rightful place at once and make sure that this miscarriage of justice will not be repeated.

--

Henry A. Giroux (he\him)

The Paulo Freire Distinguished Scholar in Critical Pedagogy

Chester New Hall, Room 229
Dept. of English and Cultural Studies
McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton,ON Canada L8S 4L9
Fax: 905-777-8316
web site: http://henryagiroux.com/

-- Hannah Arendt

To act is to be committed, and to be committed is to be in danger.

-- James A. Baldwin

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

- -Martin Luther King Jr.