After some delays, I finally decided to start blogging for the Patch network. Patch is an online newspaper located in smaller towns than the also-online Examiner covers. But whereas Examiner is all about "experts" putting their spin on things, Patch keeps it objective. It tells you the facts in true news fashion, and lets you decide for yourself, instead of being told what to think about a situation and why.

So is there much in common between them? Not a whole lot, except for the whole "online" thing. And like many of the other online news organizations, Patch offers a platform for blogging. After being invited to participate by Khari Johnson, Imperial Beach Patch's editor-in-chief, I decided I wanted to be onboard.

I'll probably post more links here to Patch articles, then I do posting links from Patch to the Washroom. For now, this is my first blog post for them. Check out a link or two. It's worth reading.

Perspectives, Neighbors, and Walking the Dog at 1 a.m.

"As far as I can tell, there are three types of folks in Imperial Beach: those who have been here for years, those whose military service brings them here, and those who simply arrived and don't want to leave. I'm in the third group.

Fact is: I'm relatively new to California, only having been here a few years. I'm originally from parts south - Mississippi, Arkansas, those kinds of places.

When I was much younger, still in high school, my family visited San Diego as part of a vacation. I discovered that I had a warm spot in my heart for this part of Southern California that never quite went away. But it was decades before I returned.

My girlfriend accepted a job out here about five years ago. I helped her drive across the country to move and settle in. Her new job was in Chula Vista, and she got an apartment in Otay Ranch. Two years later, when I finally decided to make the move myself, we got a different, larger apartment, still in that part of town.

If I was to say it didn't do much for me, I'd be minimizing it. In actuality, I found it a soul-numbing, mind-draining sort of place - not at all the California I wanted to live in."

Click to keep reading at Imperial Beach Patch...

Southwestern College's Suspended Professors Receive Media & Press Attention (And It's Positive!)

So…after a few days of keeping this post at the top of the page, I decided to go ahead and update. Nothing had changed yet, and nothing likely will at least until after the rally tomorrow. But the pro-faculty movement is making great strides.

Local press that is notoriously… anti-faculty (and anti-education) has begun to weigh in – and are giving this a fair look. Oddly enough, local television has been a boon to the Southwestern College faculty – the exposure is growing much more through TV than through print.

The really good news comes from online, and from publications that focus on educators, schools and colleges, education, and faculty and students’ rights. This is getting major play on their sites – and these are the publications that Those Who Oversee Education in the country read. The Chronicle of Higher Education, generally regarded as the Wall Street Journal of education has weighed in, as has Inside Higher Ed, a vastly-influential news organ that took immediate interest. I’m not going to name everyone who’s done so, since you’ll find the links below.

Go to them, read them, and comment there - they would like to know what you have to say. Feel free to leave a comment here if you know of anyone I’ve missed – and I’m certain I have. Lastly, If anyone reading this knows any other media organization – whether it be television, print, radio, or online – please contact them and let them know. Let’s keep pushing this out there; the more light shines on this, the less chance that President Raj Chopra and the Board will have to hide.

And, hey! Remember, I'm not an educator or a professor. I'm not a student at Southwestern College. I'm not employed there in any way. So, the place you want to go if you want the most information is here: Save Our SWC. While you're at it, follow that blog on Twitter at @saveourswc.

Chronicle of Higher Education: "Professors Suspended After a Protest Might Also Face Criminal Charges."

Inside Higher Ed: "Can Free Speech Be Furloughed?"

Inside Higher Ed: "More Anger After College Statement on Suspension of 4 Profs."

10News (San Diego ABC) [video]: "College Instructor Placed on Leave: 'This is Union Busting.'"

KPBS (San Diego Public Radio/Televison) [print only]: "Four Southwestern College Professors Suspended."

San Diego Union-Tribune (daily): "4 Faculty at College Suspended After Rally."

Center for Campus Free Speech: "Suspended for Walking Across Campus?"

Confessions of a College Dean (from the blogs at Inside Higher Ed): "Power 101." (A college adminstrator gives his thoughts on the actions of Dr. Raj Chopra.)

Dissent the Blog: "Curious Suspensions." (Contains much on the history of the administration's troubles at Southwestern College.

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE): "Community College in California Suspends Four Professors Without Explanation Following Peaceful Protest." (Notes that FIRE is beginning an investigation into this.)

Free Exchange on Campus: "Free Speech on the Chopping Block at Southwestern College."

Minding the Campus: "Free Speech Woes." (SWC is included with several schools having this same problem.)

Student Activism: "Four California Professors Suspended After Budget Protest."

Student Activism: "New Details on the Suspension of Four CA Profs for Campus Budget Protest."

The New Faculty Majority also weighed in, posting my original post (same link as in first paragraph) - along with the note that the AAUP (American Association of University Professors) had taken an interest in this case.

Some of these articles and posts - along with mine - have been picked up by many news, education, and business sites: All Business, More About Education, and NewsOnFeeds.com, to name only the first three I found on Google.

Don't forget to visit Save Our SWC for the most current information. They've got a Facebook page as well. They'd love it if you'd connect with them there.

UPDATE (November 3): For updated links to more media coverage, I've added this post.