Local News in Brief : Pierce College Police Oust Professor Bodily

A Pierce College professor attempting to return to teaching early from a one-year sabbatical was arrested by campus police Thursday evening on suspicion of disturbing the peace, Los Angeles police said.

Donald Anderson, 51, professor of philosophy, was physically removed from a humanities class after he allegedly tried to disturb the class and then refused to leave when asked to do so, said Detective Paul Stewart of the Police Department’s West Valley station. Anderson was taken to the station by campus police.

Anderson, contacted at his Canoga Park home, said that he returned three weeks ago from a sabbatical spent in Indonesia because he injured his arm and could not continue his research. He said that, through a colleague, he notified the college on Jan. 7, the day classes started, that he would be returning to teach this semester. He had been due to return in the fall.

“But, instead of holding my classes for me, they hired an hourly instructor,” he said. “The point is, I have seniority over hourly people,” said Anderson, a tenured faculty member who has taught at Pierce for 20 years.

Anderson said he was invited by a colleague to help teach the evening class, which is given by several professors in a team-teaching format. He said he wanted to establish his presence on campus so that he could appeal the administration’s decision not to acknowledge his return from sabbatical. Faculty members on sabbatical receive half pay, Anderson said.

Anderson’s early return causes a scheduling problem and displaces teachers already hired, said William Norlund, vice president of administration at Pierce. “The return throws whatever plan we have out the window.”

Anderson also said he was “dragged and beaten” by campus police during the arrest. He said an officer punched him in the stomach.