Stephen Wellman

Facing criticism from the NAACP and the national media, Randolph Community College President Larry K. Linker cancelled the final class of an adult education class on the Civil War being offered on its campus. The class, "North Carolina’s Role in the War for Southern Independence," was sponsored in part by the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and was not being offered for credit. Although the college initially supported the class through a piece in the local paper, the High Point Enterprise, support disappeared after critical news articles were printed in the New York Times, USA Today, and other national publications.

"After careful consideration, I have decided that it is in the best interest of the students, faculty and staff of Randolph Community College…and indeed the fine people of Randolph County," explained Linker in a statement released just hours before the final session "to cancel the final class of our civil war course originally scheduled for this evening." "We would never intentionally set up any class that is offensive to anyone in our community…and obviously this class has done that." He latter added, "Let me stress that we have not confirmed whether this course contains the kind of content that is alleged…but there is the perception that it does…and that perception is damaging our fine reputation." Linker was not available for further comment on this matter, but his statement that the news coverage had "maligned us" seems to reveal his primary concern.

National attention on the class started when Greensboro News and Record reporter Ethan Feinsilver began writing about the course. In his article "Civil War course stirs national debate," Feinsilver accused the instructors of the class of having taught that "slaves were mostly happy." According to Jack Perdue, the main instructor of the class, "no such statement was ever made in class." Perdue claims Feinsilver only attended one complete class session and parts of two others. "Mr. Feinsilver asked for and was provided a course schedule and expressed particular interest in the session entitled ‘The Role of Blacks and Native Americans.’ In spite of his interest in this session and the fact that most of his defamatory accusations deal with this topic, he did not attend this session and does not have any first hand knowledge of what was said that night."

Coverage of the class seems to have been shaped a great deal by Feinsilver’s account. A local television news program, North Carolina Now, reported that Randolph Community College was teaching a "slavery course." The New York Times ran the headlines "Course Citing Happy Slaves Draws Protest" and "N.C. School Cancels Slave Course." These headlines seem odd considering the class only allocated one session to this topic, as Perdue pointed out.

Perdue blamed Feinsilver for the media frenzy that has surrounded this class. "As a result of Mr. Feinsilver’s inaccurate articles being picked up by the Associated Press, Randolph Community College and the Sons of Confederate Veterans have been subjected to adverse publicity, harassment by the press from all over the U.S. and abroad and vilification by people who have no idea what was taught in the course." He refused to comment further or to provide any additional materials: "They [the materials documenting the class and its content] are in the possession of my attorney."

When asked about the college’s initial attitude towards the class, Perdue said that the college had promoted it. "No controversy was generated by the article in the High Point paper [the article originally promoting the class]. No objections to the course were heard from the NAACP or any other group. None of the people or organizations who are now objecting to the course signed up to see what it was about."

The college was unable to provide any specific reason for canceling the class. "Although we remain committed to the ideals of academic freedom…that freedom should not allow any course that hurts the very people we are trying to serve. While we do not know whether this course does that…there is enough question about it that we cannot allow it to continue without a second look," added Linker when explaining his position.

Perdue laments the fact that his course was cancelled due to negative publicity. He welcomes an investigation into the class’s content and seems certain that the national attention he has attracted is without merit. "In summary, it appears that the world wide media has been duped by an overzealous young reporter who is apparently relishing the publicity as he takes care in each subsequent article to point out the major networks that are covering his story."