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His name is Philippe Rushton. He claims that blacks are not as smart as whites who in turn are not as smart as Orientals. Many want him fired from his post at the University of Western Ontario. Others say that although Rushton's ideas may stink, academic freedom should guarantee his right to pursue those ideas. David Suzuki, geneticist turned science journalist, took Rushton on in a public debate at UWO last Wednesday. He made no effort to refute Rushton's science. "I do not believe we should dignify this man and his ideas with a debate," Suzuki is quoted by the London Free Press. "His claims must be denounced, his methodology discredited, and his grant proposals and position terminated at this university." The Free Press also quotes Rushton: 'Tm very disappointed in Dr. Suzuki's presentation. He says my ideas on race are too esoteric and he shows little more than moral outrage ... If I heard correctly, he actually called for me to be fired. That is not a scientific argument." Two other anti-Rushton views predominate: * Rushton is using scientific methods as a basis for his theory; thus only scientific methods can be used to combat his ideas. This leaves the battle against Rushton solely in the hands of the academic community; * Rushton's theories, right or wrong, are socially irresponsible and could lead to extremes of racial intolerance. Because the ideas might lead to horrors similar to Nazi atrocities against Jews, we must refrain from public discussion. Writing in the London Free Press the day before the debate, Ivor Goodson, a professor at Western, said: "I would defend Rushton's right to continue bis studies, even if they are judged by the rest of us in the university community to be socially irresponsible. He should fnot therefore be suspended from his undertaking scholarly work. "I would, however, question to what extent that university as a bastion of humane and civilized values WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1989, PAGE 5 WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Gross disservice would want its own name associated with his work and with the implicit legitimization of that work. "Further, I would be deeply concerned if socially irresponsible science were taught to students. To allow this would be an abdication of the university's responsibility to the student body and the wider community.' Well, if Goodson felt that Rushton's theories should not be taught to tough-minded university students, how must he have felt the next day when the London Free Press gave over the entire oped (opposite editorial) page to Rushton's paper that caused all the uproar. (Are newspapers that print socially irresponsible academic papers guilty of social irresponsibility?) Rushton says that Orientals outscore whites who outscore blacks on standard intelligence tests, wherever given. He also claims to have scientific support for his claim that cranial capacity, brain weight and the measure of 'millions of excess neurons' all show the sane ranking. That is, Orientals have bigger brains, and bigger skulls to hold them. He also says that blacks in the U.S. have a shorter gestation period; walk sooner; mature faster sexually; and show less social restraint. He also claims that blacks show less 'law abidingness' (his term) than whites, who of course show less of it than Orientals. He also claims that blacks show less social restraint (they have sex more often) and are thus more at risk to diseases such as AIDS. Rushton says that Orientals are more highly evolved, since they emerged through evolution about 41,000 years ago, whites 110,000 years ago and blacks 200,000 years ago. From this ho leaps to bis contentious conclusions: more highly evolved means smarter means more mature socially. He then predicts that Orientals in the Pacific Rim will "continue to grow in accomplishments until they eventually outdistance the predominately Causcasian (white) populations of North America and Western Europe." That argument should show the genetic superiority of Inuit and North and South American Indians. One would also suppose that after more than 40,000 years, Oriental society should be both morally and technically superior to white social structure. That races are different, there is no argument; we can see some of that with our own eyes. To have science measure other differences may also be rewarding in helping us understand one another -- if we have the wisdom not to make value judgements on the differences. When Rushton measures brain sizes, he may be performing science; but when he makes value judgements, he has gone beyond science. When he ranks races, he does himself, his university, science and the human race a gross disservice. You don't need a PhD to spot faulty conclusions, and crackpot theories such as this deserve only our laughter. I just wish academics had started to laugh a lot sooner. And louder. Concerns outlined over Province lot levy legislation By Debbie Luchuk The Durham Board of Educa- tion as well as other education boards in the province may soon be able to take advantage of lot levies to alleviate fundingshor- tages. Brian Cain, presenting a staff report on proposed provincial lot levy legislation for school boards, told the board that lot levies "follow the same philosophy as lot levies for municipalities. They provide for each municipal popu- lation, and should pay for hard core educational needs. "It means significant dollars will be available for the projects we cannot afford." However, the Province is pro- posing a cut of 15 per cent in funding to school boards with the legislation. Provincial funding could decrease from 75 to 60 per cent. Cain identified two concerns staff had with the proposed lot le legislation. he reductions of 15 per cent by the Province would "let the ministry off the hook" in provid- ing for new pupil places. Staff advised the board not to 'let up pressure on the ministry yet." The second major concern identified was the concept of a joint account with funds to be allocated from that account on the basis of approved projects with the separate school board. Staff advised the board that it would be best if the ministry would create "clear, simple gui- delines" in determining the approval of capital projects for new pupil places. Oshawa trustee Ruth Lafarga said, "The municipalities have the benefit of lot levies. Many things have been funded by lot levies that are not as important as schools." Responding to the concern raised by staffs report on the legislation that lot levies would impact "affordable" housing, Lafarga continued, "CMHC said lot levies would not impact hous- ing prices. 'We as a growth board are being crippled by what we have to pay (to keep up with growth)," she concluded. RECYCLING ONE TONOF NEWSPAPERS SA'ES l I 19 TREES Trustees echoed Lafarga's com- ments and the board passed a motion to support staffs recom- mendations from the report: - that the board support the con- cept of lot levies; bave equal access to dollars for - that they oppose the provin- non-new pupil place projects; cial cutback in funding - and that the board reject the - that the Province assure the concept of the joint account with growth boards that they will the separate school board. usseU Travel Twvo Wel visitinig Venice • Corfu • Delphi • Athens • Mykonos • Istanbul • Kusadasi • Rhodes • Santorini Ithaca Dubrovnik ind. air m$1,949. rU stay 8 Ero S'à8,4Whty688500