COOS BAY, Ore. – Southwestern Oregon Community College is defending its decision to hire a registered sex offender back in 2010 with an online statement written by college president Patty Scott.
The statement, posted on the SWOCC website on February 12, says it seeks to “directly and transparently” address recent concerns about a faculty member hired in 2010 that is now serving as the director of adult and pre-college education and tutoring. The statement does not name the staff member, but the staff directory lists Curtis Buell as the director of adult and pre-college education and tutoring.
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“We believe that providing opportunities for those who have demonstrated a commitment to turning their lives around aligns with our mission of fulfilling the educational and cultural needs of our diverse communities by providing equitable access to exceptional teaching and learning in a collaborative, engaging, sustainable environment, which supports innovation, lifelong enrichment, and contribution to global society,” president Scott said in the statement.
I commend the President of this College for standing behind this employee and continues to stand firm. He has been there for 25 years and obviously hasn’t committed any crimes, but facts don’t matter to people.
Southwestern Oregon Community College is commendable for their support. This just goes to show you can judge a book but it’s Title. I find this heartwarming and a good omen to all who have done there best and have not reoffended. This gentlemen has contributed to society in a positive way and is being supported for his achievements and contributions rather than past.
This is awesome and I am proud of the College and Facility for seeing beyond a label.
This school/president should be publicly recognized and lauded for this decision.
More people need to see that this is possible, preferable and productive in promoting rehabilitation/reintegration and making society safer.
Some comments on the article’s media page are pretty lame. He needs to get a job that doesn’t deal with people? WTF? All jobs deal with people, unless he plans to hole himself up in a basement on his computer. But he still has to deal with people, or he doesn’t get paid.
There are still some good people out there. Thanks be to God!!!!!!!!
This is almost certainly the result of a Facebook brigade from net-vigilantes, not from any concerns raised by actual students or staff at the college. I visited the Facebook page for the community college, and comments have been disabled on all posts made in the last few weeks, while comments were not disabled for posts made prior to that. One frustrating thing about the registry is that in no way have any recent court rulings reflected the impact of social media on PFRs. It almost makes me think we need to develop a social media strategy to coordinate and fight brigading vigilante groups (and to potentially get out / amplify messages defending PFRs). It doesn’t take many people (or resources) to coordinate and influence the social media landscape.
Wow! A public official – in this case, a community college president – with a spine, an actual upright, sturdy spine!!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻