A cowardly reader anonymously sent us a link to this guy's profile at Portland State, with the perfunctory "I know Jake. He's a good guy, all things considered, and I understand that people make mistakes, but..." preface. Obviously he or she expects us to rant against the fellow depicted. Instead, we'll ask a simple question of our readers: whether an ex-protege of Tre Arrow, a convicted eco-terrorist -- reformed or not -- should be on the PSU payroll to "work with faculty and Peer Mentors to support undergraduate research and creative activities for sustainability as part of the University Studies curriculum." He plays the victim card well, but is he the right guy to be counseling people in the same position he was in when his life went to hell?
Comments (25)
I can tell you something about Lew Schoenberg (my father), the La Salle High School "official" in the WW article who said the crime was out of character for Jake. I would not assume Jake was manipulated into his actions, which is a common theme for my father. Lew's judgment does not often bear resemblance to reality. He comes up with a conclusion, and then seeks to justify it irrationally. He would drive for hours to visit Jake, yet abandon his only child when in need.
"he also helped lead PSU's "Take Back the Tap" campaign, which promotes sustainability by educating students about the benefits of choosing tap water over the high costs of bottled water"
There has got to be a PHD for this out of the box thinker!!
Amazing, he gets a Masters from PSU for helping install 20 faucets at PSU to fill water bottles.
I'm telling my plumber friends to enroll at PSU and challenge the "test" and get their Masters. If they install 30 faucets they'll get their Doctorate.
Jack asked: "...is he the right guy to be counseling people in the same position he was in when his life went to hell?"
Yes.
10 years ago J. Sherman was a floundering, misguided soul who went the wrong way ...but he changed his life. He cooperated with the proper authorities, served his time, and (my read) learned from his mistakes. That isn't easy to do. Why wouldn't he be a roll model we'd want others to emulate?
I am dubious about "Leadership for Sustainability Education (yadda yadda yadda)" but I trust PSU enough to think they want to hire the best they can, and if they find a talented student, they should promote his advancement.
As a felon, I do jot believe Sherman could not be certified as a teacher or an administrator in the state. But he has a job with PSU, so what the hey. Who else knows what to do with someone who has a degree in Leadership for Sustainable Education except the institution that granted it?
Sheridan is no resort, but not exactly Alcatraz either. Prison can turn an already bad person into a really bad person, or it can humble and change the life of those sorry for their actions. The choice is more or less up to the individual. I hope the latter is true for this guy so that he mentors well.
The BSU diploma sounds like mush to me. But if this man has turned his life around and can pay taxes on his income, then we are all better off.
And remember, the infamous "Tre" ran for mayor! And I doubt he has changed his ways at all.
Another drug addled, homeless, lout on the streets is not needed in Portlandia. We have too many of those as it is.
Harry - not defending his actions here - what he did was wrong, it destroyed property, it was a felony, and he deserved the sentence he received and served out - but you're delusional if you really believe his crimes were just like the Oklahoma City bombing or 911.
I dunno, he doesn't look any better/worse than the average professor at PSU. In addition, if he is really repentant for whatever violent acts he's committed, hey give him a chance.
My point is that he looks like another "fill-in-the-blanks" studies graduate. Which means he either gets a job teaching "fill-in-the-blanks" studies or maybe writes a book.
How this helps PSU turn out useful graduates, you tell me.
There's the whole Christian forgiveness thing, if you subscribe to that. He served his time, made something of himself, and now has a family. If we banned from civic life (and the tax rolls) everyone who, to paraphrase George W. Bush, acted young and irresponsible when they were young and irresponsible, society would grind to a halt.
Is it better for society for him to get out of jail in his early 20's and never be able to work again? Or to give someone a chance to prove they've changed? I say the latter.
A democratic society based on justice for all ceases to function as such if it doesn't give its members second chances as long they have shown that they've turned things around and deserve one. This guy deserves a second chance in my book because he has channeled his passion for the environment into something constructive as opposed to destructive.
How about just a repentant garden variety criminal? They would never hire one of those. The department of sustainability fetishists hired this guy because Eco-terrorists send a tingle up their collective legs. But someone who repents after he burned stuff down for fun, robbed people, stole cars, or embezzled from businesses? Never. Those are not sexy crimes.
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Comments (25)
I can tell you something about Lew Schoenberg (my father), the La Salle High School "official" in the WW article who said the crime was out of character for Jake. I would not assume Jake was manipulated into his actions, which is a common theme for my father. Lew's judgment does not often bear resemblance to reality. He comes up with a conclusion, and then seeks to justify it irrationally. He would drive for hours to visit Jake, yet abandon his only child when in need.
Posted by Ben Schoenberg | June 10, 2012 9:49 PM
What the heck is "Educational Leadership" and "Leadership for Sustainability Education."
Is this some sort of leadership in pseudo-science, brainwashing, or beating people into submission to the great green god?
I wonder if he can define "sustainability"?
Posted by jim karlock | June 10, 2012 10:04 PM
"he also helped lead PSU's "Take Back the Tap" campaign, which promotes sustainability by educating students about the benefits of choosing tap water over the high costs of bottled water"
There has got to be a PHD for this out of the box thinker!!
Posted by pdxjim | June 10, 2012 10:04 PM
Eco terror is also called domestic terrorism.
Like the Oklahoma City bombing or the Una-bomber.
Like 911, only by Americans against Americans.
Same crimes should yield the same penalties.
Regardless of if you worship Ala or the Giant Green Godess.
Posted by Harry | June 10, 2012 10:39 PM
If I understand this correctly, Sherman was in prison longer than Tre Arrow.
Posted by Jack Bog | June 10, 2012 10:46 PM
Jack asked: "...is he the right guy to be counseling people in the same position he was in when his life went to hell?
No.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | June 10, 2012 10:49 PM
Amazing, he gets a Masters from PSU for helping install 20 faucets at PSU to fill water bottles.
I'm telling my plumber friends to enroll at PSU and challenge the "test" and get their Masters. If they install 30 faucets they'll get their Doctorate.
Posted by lw | June 10, 2012 10:56 PM
Jack asked: "...is he the right guy to be counseling people in the same position he was in when his life went to hell?"
Yes.
10 years ago J. Sherman was a floundering, misguided soul who went the wrong way ...but he changed his life. He cooperated with the proper authorities, served his time, and (my read) learned from his mistakes. That isn't easy to do. Why wouldn't he be a roll model we'd want others to emulate?
I am dubious about "Leadership for Sustainability Education (yadda yadda yadda)" but I trust PSU enough to think they want to hire the best they can, and if they find a talented student, they should promote his advancement.
Posted by AnRyBr | June 10, 2012 11:46 PM
It's because of crap like this that PSU is known as "B.S. U."
Put a pickled bird on that diploma!
Hey, didn't Prof. Harold Hill get his Ph.D. there, too?
Posted by Mojo | June 11, 2012 12:13 AM
I would have to say yes. If he truly has reformed, who better to caution other's of their mistakes then someone who's already been there?
Posted by Rick Hamell | June 11, 2012 6:50 AM
As a felon, I do jot believe Sherman could not be certified as a teacher or an administrator in the state. But he has a job with PSU, so what the hey. Who else knows what to do with someone who has a degree in Leadership for Sustainable Education except the institution that granted it?
Posted by Nolo | June 11, 2012 7:34 AM
Sheridan is no resort, but not exactly Alcatraz either. Prison can turn an already bad person into a really bad person, or it can humble and change the life of those sorry for their actions. The choice is more or less up to the individual. I hope the latter is true for this guy so that he mentors well.
Posted by gibby | June 11, 2012 7:34 AM
Yep good for the guy turning his life around.
Maybe he'll even have far more common sense than the Sam Adams brand of progressive.
But how many reformed felon right wingers get jobs at PSU.
Posted by PSU politically diverse | June 11, 2012 7:48 AM
The BSU diploma sounds like mush to me. But if this man has turned his life around and can pay taxes on his income, then we are all better off.
And remember, the infamous "Tre" ran for mayor! And I doubt he has changed his ways at all.
Another drug addled, homeless, lout on the streets is not needed in Portlandia. We have too many of those as it is.
Posted by portland native | June 11, 2012 8:15 AM
Harry - not defending his actions here - what he did was wrong, it destroyed property, it was a felony, and he deserved the sentence he received and served out - but you're delusional if you really believe his crimes were just like the Oklahoma City bombing or 911.
Posted by John Rettig | June 11, 2012 8:19 AM
Do we let convicted child molesters back into the classroom after they "repent" and serve their prison sentence ?
Just asking because placing back where he can groom and recruit more terrorists seems to me a bad idea...
Posted by tankfixer | June 11, 2012 8:26 AM
Master's of Science in Educational Leadership and Policy, with a specialization in Leadership for Sustainability Education
A leader in sustainability education. And a specialist at it too. Oh, man-nnn.
Posted by boycat | June 11, 2012 8:37 AM
I dunno, he doesn't look any better/worse than the average professor at PSU. In addition, if he is really repentant for whatever violent acts he's committed, hey give him a chance.
My point is that he looks like another "fill-in-the-blanks" studies graduate. Which means he either gets a job teaching "fill-in-the-blanks" studies or maybe writes a book.
How this helps PSU turn out useful graduates, you tell me.
Posted by Steve | June 11, 2012 9:07 AM
There's the whole Christian forgiveness thing, if you subscribe to that. He served his time, made something of himself, and now has a family. If we banned from civic life (and the tax rolls) everyone who, to paraphrase George W. Bush, acted young and irresponsible when they were young and irresponsible, society would grind to a halt.
Posted by Eric | June 11, 2012 9:23 AM
Is it better for society for him to get out of jail in his early 20's and never be able to work again? Or to give someone a chance to prove they've changed? I say the latter.
Posted by Snards | June 11, 2012 10:10 AM
A democratic society based on justice for all ceases to function as such if it doesn't give its members second chances as long they have shown that they've turned things around and deserve one. This guy deserves a second chance in my book because he has channeled his passion for the environment into something constructive as opposed to destructive.
Posted by Usual Kevin | June 11, 2012 11:56 AM
Somehow I don't think PSU would have have hired a repentant individual who had burned down abortion clinics.
Posted by Random | June 11, 2012 12:03 PM
How about just a repentant garden variety criminal? They would never hire one of those. The department of sustainability fetishists hired this guy because Eco-terrorists send a tingle up their collective legs. But someone who repents after he burned stuff down for fun, robbed people, stole cars, or embezzled from businesses? Never. Those are not sexy crimes.
Posted by Gaye Harris | June 11, 2012 8:54 PM
I wonder when PSU will rehire Mike Burton? He's repentant and sorry he got caught. He could counsel folks with drinking problems and PTSD.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | June 12, 2012 7:32 AM
What are the readers expectation of a convicted felon? Is moving on with his life not one of them?
Posted by TTJ | June 12, 2012 2:22 PM