UCLA student arrested in class

Thursday, October 17, 1996

CRIME:

Burke repeatedly harassed professor, according to classmatesBy
Marie Blanchard

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

A UCLA student was arrested in a philosophy class Wednesday
afternoon for "disturbing the peace," according to UC police
department (UCPD) Captain Alan Cueba.

Greg Laurence Burke, a second-year undeclared student, was
arrested early afternoon outside Fowler Museum after refusing to
leave a Philosophy 2 lecture.

According to students in the classroom, Professor David Wilson,
Assistant Dean of Humanities, asked Burke to leave at the beginning
of lecture saying he was no longer enrolled in the class. When
Burke refused, Wilson called the police and the student was
escorted out of the lecture.

Although Professor Wilson refused to comment on the situation,
university police said they had been notified several times in the
past few weeks that Wilson was having problems with a "disruptive
student" and had complained on more than one occasion to Senior
Associate Dean Cary Porter.

Students enrolled in Philosophy 2 said relations between Wilson
and Burke were strained since the beginning of the quarter.

There had been three or four incidents where Burke had
"disrupted" class, said Willem Zwart, a third- year history of
religion student also enrolled in the class.

"(Burke) would come in and clear his throat loudly for a while.
Then he would raise his hand until the teacher would call on him,"
said Leslie Salcido, an undeclared first-year student.

"(Burke) would keep asking questions until the Professor would
ask him to discuss it later and then (Burke) would start clearing
his throat loudly and then he would talk while the Professor was
trying to lecture," Salcido continued.

The first confrontation between Burke and Wilson had taken place
during the first week of classes. Wilson was lecturing about
reality when Burke interrupted to say "your reality is not my
reality," Salcido said.

According to Salcido, Wilson responded by stating, "I’m not
calling on you anymore." Then Burke said, "you have to answer me."
At this point, other students told Burke to "shut the fuck up."

Although Burke was unavailable for comment, when asked to stop
talking in lecture he claimed he was being "discriminated against,"
Salcido said.

After the last confrontation between Burke and Wilson a week
ago, Salcido said Wilson had told the class that Burke was "no
longer in the class and he would either be dropped from the class
or failed."

It is unclear whether Burke was still enrolled in the class when
he attended Wednesday, but under University of California Grounds
for Discipline 102.13, anyone found "obstructing or disrupting
teaching …" can face punishments as severe as expulsion.

Burke has received a citation to appear in court within the next
30 days.

With reports from Tiffany Lauter, Daily Bruin Contributor.

JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

Professor David Wilson had an unruly student ejected from
class.