---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Richard John <rdca25@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Subject: Regarding an academic issue
To: 015130@mail.fju.edu.tw
Father Daniel J. Bauer
Department of English Language and Literature
Fu Jen Catholic University
Hsin-Chuang, 242
Taiwan, R.O.C.
January 2, 2011
Dear Father Bauer,
I'm curious if you have any interest in a human rights issue at National Cheng Kung University, in Tainan, or if you have any useful advice pertaining to the matter.
In 1999, a defamatory letter against me was secretly circulated to insure an illegal dismissal started in the Department of Foreign Languages. When that dismissal was canceled in December 1999, the university claimed foreign teachers were not protected by the Teachers Law and the dismissal case was now handled as an employment case! In other words, since I could not be legally fired, they now questioned whether I should be hired, which, apart from semantics, insured my dismissal anyway!
When the Ministry of Education ruled against the university, the university filed a lawsuit to contest foreigners' right to appeal, though the university had held its own appeal hearings and attended those in Taipei! When it lost this case too, it appealed and then used the pending appeal as a tactic to delay reinstatement.
After eight warning letters from the Ministry of Education (transcript attached), and two exploratory letters from Scholars at Risk, an international human rights group based in New York that asked why I was not reinstated if I won an appeal, the university finally complied with the Ministry ruling in May 2003, nearly two and a half years after the ruling (January 8, 2001).
I find it curious that the mere appearance of disrespect to a Taiwanese taekwondo athlete could cause such an uproar here but a clearly documented case of disrespect to an American professor is tolerated. I wonder if NCKU president, Michael Ming-Chiao Lai, can explain the difference.
To this day, despite repeated requests by me and colleagues, he has ignored my request for a formal apology, despite the fact that Taiwan has recently endorsed international human rights principles.
Neither the university nor university officials involved in this case have received penalties, which encourages future actions of this kind, not only against foreigners but even against Taiwanese citizens.
No English-language newspaper, to my knowledge, has published any of my letters regarding this case, though at least two Chinese newspapers have exposed the case (see attachment for a recent item).
I know you write weekly comments for The China Post. I'm curious if you can explore this case in one of your columns or if you have any other advice to give me. I don't think it's right that a university, especially a high-ranked university, be allowed to ignore human rights principles like this. We treat Taiwan professors and students fairly in the United States, where they receive the full protection of American laws and rights. Even apart from laws and human rights, Taiwanese should show mutual respect to our teachers and students. That is a principle of both Confucian and Christian ethics.
I would appreciate a response to this letter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Richard de Canio
Formerly Associate Professor
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan
(06) 237 8626
From: Richard John <rdca25@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Subject: Regarding an academic issue
To: 015130@mail.fju.edu.tw
Father Daniel J. Bauer
Department of English Language and Literature
Fu Jen Catholic University
Hsin-Chuang, 242
Taiwan, R.O.C.
January 2, 2011
Dear Father Bauer,
I'm curious if you have any interest in a human rights issue at National Cheng Kung University, in Tainan, or if you have any useful advice pertaining to the matter.
In 1999, a defamatory letter against me was secretly circulated to insure an illegal dismissal started in the Department of Foreign Languages. When that dismissal was canceled in December 1999, the university claimed foreign teachers were not protected by the Teachers Law and the dismissal case was now handled as an employment case! In other words, since I could not be legally fired, they now questioned whether I should be hired, which, apart from semantics, insured my dismissal anyway!
When the Ministry of Education ruled against the university, the university filed a lawsuit to contest foreigners' right to appeal, though the university had held its own appeal hearings and attended those in Taipei! When it lost this case too, it appealed and then used the pending appeal as a tactic to delay reinstatement.
After eight warning letters from the Ministry of Education (transcript attached), and two exploratory letters from Scholars at Risk, an international human rights group based in New York that asked why I was not reinstated if I won an appeal, the university finally complied with the Ministry ruling in May 2003, nearly two and a half years after the ruling (January 8, 2001).
I find it curious that the mere appearance of disrespect to a Taiwanese taekwondo athlete could cause such an uproar here but a clearly documented case of disrespect to an American professor is tolerated. I wonder if NCKU president, Michael Ming-Chiao Lai, can explain the difference.
To this day, despite repeated requests by me and colleagues, he has ignored my request for a formal apology, despite the fact that Taiwan has recently endorsed international human rights principles.
Neither the university nor university officials involved in this case have received penalties, which encourages future actions of this kind, not only against foreigners but even against Taiwanese citizens.
No English-language newspaper, to my knowledge, has published any of my letters regarding this case, though at least two Chinese newspapers have exposed the case (see attachment for a recent item).
I know you write weekly comments for The China Post. I'm curious if you can explore this case in one of your columns or if you have any other advice to give me. I don't think it's right that a university, especially a high-ranked university, be allowed to ignore human rights principles like this. We treat Taiwan professors and students fairly in the United States, where they receive the full protection of American laws and rights. Even apart from laws and human rights, Taiwanese should show mutual respect to our teachers and students. That is a principle of both Confucian and Christian ethics.
I would appreciate a response to this letter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Richard de Canio
Formerly Associate Professor
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan
(06) 237 8626
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