Students For Academic Freedom

Professor Sues College for Partisan Firing · 03 November 2004

By Katrina Irwin--WROC-TV--11/01/04

A former professor at Monroe Community College says he was fired because he showed his support for President Bush. Dr. Michael Filozof says he was fired from his job as a political science professor after he was harassed by a predominantly left-wing department. Monday morning he filed suit against MCC and now he wants a payback.

"It was an American flag. I didn't think it was too controversial, but apparently at MCC it was."

Filozof says his colleagues at MCC attacked his political views. It came as quite a shock, considering many professors decorate their office doors with political messages. The difference between his and others, he says, is that he's conservative while the others are liberal.

"The faculty at many institutions are not balanced. They live in a bubble, they don't live in the real world, and they've got views out of the mainstream. If you bring mainstream views into academia, you get discriminated against."

Filozof's contract wasn't renewed at the beginning of this year. Now he's filed a lawsuit claiming he was fired because of his political views.

His attorney Nelson Thomas says it amounts to a violation of constitutional rights. "Being a government-run institution, you have to respect your employees' First Amendment rights and that's what they didn't do here."

An MCC spokesperson tells News 8 they are aware of the lawsuit but it's their policy not to comment on pending litigation.

Filozof is suing for lost pay, and the pain and suffering he says he endured. In the meantime, he's been teaching part time at other schools in Western New York but says he took a severe pay cut. He also says that he never brought his views into the classroom.

"I never was accused by anyone, faculty or students, of being overly political, no." The lawsuit was filed Monday morning and MCC has 20 days to respond.

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