Modesto Bee 1-13-04

Letters to the Editor

Crash course in ethics via perjury

There is something sadly ironic about seniors in a college criminal justice program falsifying information to satisfy a grade requirement. While selfishly manipulating data for their own ends may qualify them to work in any number of law firms, the bigger picture begs the question: "Is ethics a required course for criminal justice, and if so, have state budget cutbacks had this serious an effect on educational quality?" Scott Peterson is on trial for his life, and the fact that dishonest students and a self-serving professor can have this significant an impact on that trial is frightening. Perhaps the professor and each student involved should now be taught an additional lesson about the penalties of perjury.

TOBY D. STIME, Modesto

Say it ain't so, CSUS

As a research scholar and alumna of CSU, Stanislaus, I was appalled to read that Stephen Schoenthaler of the Criminal Justice department used unsupervised undergraduates to perform research that would be promoted in the public forum and used to determine the life-or-death fate of Scott Peterson. I hope the rumors are untrue. In my experience with undergraduates, I don't think I've ever had 65 students at once whom I would trust to perform surveys unsupervised. No matter how excellent the institution and how dedicated the majority of students admitted, there are always a few who will put convenience ahead of academic honesty, as well as a few who, despite their best efforts, do not perform work well. Again, I hope the allegations against Schoenthaler are untrue. If they are accurate, this may be the first time I have to be ashamed to be a graduate of CSU Stanislaus.

WENDE VYBORNEY FELLER, Ph.D. San Francisco

The professor is at fault here

Shame on Professor Stephen Schoenthaler, California State University, Stanislaus, and Judge Al Girolami. Why would a local professor use undergraduate students by requiring them to do his work in order to gain national attention? College students asked to do that project on their own dimes may be tempted to falsify information. The assignment is fine, but the results should not be used in a court of law. Why not use graduate students using the school's phones and resources to collect information for a study? Then verify the sample. I cannot believe the university is considering punishing the students. What about the professor? Further, why would a judge believe information gathered in this way and use it as a basis for a court proceeding? None of the results had been verified. Add one more strike against Modesto in the eyes of the world.

JEREMY RAWE Modesto