UCLA Andersen School of Management Professor Gordon Klein was placed on leave after defending equality and promoting Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream protesters are calling for him being fired. Take a stand for Gordon Klein, for equality, for human rights.

The Goal of this petition is to have UCLA immediately allow Prof. Klein to be reinstated if he wishes, and we demand an apology both privately, directly to Gordon Klein and publicly to acknowledge this issue.

The student's request simultaneously spread stereotypes and promoted both microaggressions and macroaggressions that black, African-American, and other minorities are unable to be graded equally as other races, colors, and origins because of lesser intelligence of any type. This is just not true and should not be supported. Where are the disciplinary actions on the students who believe and say these ridiculous accusations that all people are not equal?

As a reminder of the referenced MLK quote: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

Many in the community may believe this is the next civil rights movement. We must not forget the reasons, the cause, the fight and the result of the previous civil rights movements. We must stand strong and embrace equality and not discrimination. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."-George Santayana -Winston Churchill.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 included a provision, Title VI. "No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

This includes discrimination in regards to academic programs, grading, and services. UCLA receives federal financial assistance funds through Title IV. By giving students of a certain race special treatment based on the color of their skin, race, or national origin while denying benefits and enacting discrimination for all other race, color, and national origin students, UCLA would be in clear violation of Title VI and would lose access to Federal aid and assistance.

If you have experience, knowledge, or any other type of evidence and information regarding violation of civil rights from UCLA or your school, please report it to the OCR (Office for Civil Rights) which their contact information will be located down below.

To learn more, you can visit these websites.

https://bit.ly/377i6Zd

https://bit.ly/3eXOqjR

 

Klein's email reads as follows.

_________________

Thanks for your suggestion in your email below that I give black students special treatment, given the tragedy in Minnesota. Do you know the names of the classmates that are black? How can I identify them since we've been having online classes only? Are there any students that may be of mixed parentage, such as half black-half Asian? What do you suggest I do with respect to them? A full concession or just half? Also, do you have any idea if any students are from Minneapolis? I assume that they probably are especially devastated as well. I am thinking that a white student from there might be possibly even more devastated by this, especially because some might think that they're racist even if they are not. My TA is from Minneapolis, so if you don't know, I can probably ask her. Can you guide me on how you think I should achieve a "no-harm" outcome since our sole course grade is from a final exam only? One last thing strikes me: Remember that MLK famously said that people should not be evaluated based on the "color of their skin." Do you think that your request would run afoul of MLK's admonition? Thanks, G. Klein

_________________

 

As the previous Petition guided a mob of hate, we must focus on logic, facts, empathy, compassion, love and equality so that we can get justice. What Professor Klein said was not filled with racism, yet he was targeted and doxed, perceivably threatened and called a racist by people across the country. He offered challenging questions that would need to have an answer if someone were to give preferential treatment based on race (which is not allowed under Title VI). 
Now, some people may say it was because of his tone and not his words that they went after him. This is not true. However, if we then go by that logic, we should be allowing him to participate in appropriate leadership courses, listening class lectures, and have an open discussion with the students about what he could have said in a different phrasing. We need to treat people with compassion and empathy and both sides can learn to be better. It is a much better lesson for students that there is always room to grow and learn, overcome any bias instead of a lesson that one mistake will cause you your entire job, career, livelihood. 

We must not allow UCLA and other schools tolerate hate and discrimination. This precedent of the 'cancel culture' being allowed to inject their wishes and beliefs to fire and suspend anyone at notice based on signatures and emails of people that do not uphold UCLA Andersen School of Management's character statement to share success and collaboration, to think fearlessly and drive change using a values-based approach. The original student e-mailer did not openly discuss or collaborate with Prof. Klein's genuine questions to create and share success. The original petitioners were not fearless when it came to finding real solutions to the real problem, they were fearful and decided to silence the dissenting opinion. Professor Gordon Klein was using a values-based approach in his leadership style, highlighting that he values equality for all, no matter their race, color, or origin just as MLK would have wanted to make a positive change that has a 'no harm' solution.

This retaliation to Gordon Klein is driven simply based on not agreeing to another person's opinions, and believing a person's race should deny them free speech including thoughts/opinions on topics. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 must not die quietly in darkness. We must speak the truth and bring light and justice for Gordon Klein.

 

These are the emails to send a request for Gordon Klein's reinstatement and an apology for Gordon Klein.

dean@anderson.ucla.edu, antonio.bernardo@anderson.ucla.edu, dpo@equity.ucla.edu, cbhatnagar@chr.ucla.edu, heather.caruso@anderson.ucla.edu, mblandizzi@saonet.ucla.edu, mgorden@saonet.ucla.edu, jkang@equity.ucla.edu, chancellor@ucla.edu, rtorres@conet.ucla.edu, evc@conet.ucla.edu, michaelbeck@ucla.edu jperkins@equity.ucla.edu, rkusumi@equity.ucla.edu, rklibaner@equity.ucla.edu, mventura@saonet.ucla.edu, zchhabra@saonet.ucla.edu, bforray@conet.ucla.edu, dhumber@ucla.edu

 

Additional contacts and information including to the Department of Education:

State Department of Education
California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Phone: (916) 319-0800
Fax: (916) 319-0100
Website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/

 

The OCR office for California is located at:

San Francisco Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102

Telephone: 415-486-5555
FAX: 415-486-5570; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

 

The OCR National Headquarters is located at:

U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100

Telephone: 800-421-3481
FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR@ed.gov

 

The Goal of this petition is to have UCLA immediately allow Prof. Klein to be reinstated if he wishes, and we demand an apology both privately, directly to Gordon Klein and publicly to acknowledge this issue.