What Cost Chris Dussold His Dream Job?

Lee 2

Zachary Lee

Francis Williams

English 1301

Nov. 11 2014

Critical Analysis Essay

Summary

This section contains a summary of the article "What Cost Chris Dussold His Dream Job?" In his introduction, Bartlett explains how Mr.Dussold was a professor at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and was fired for "copying another professor's teaching statement." But further explains that Mr. Dussold says "that was not the real reason he was fired" and that "Now Mr. Dussold is on a crusade to restore his reputation…" he goes on to explain how Mr. Dussold lands the dream job he wanted which was going smoothly until one day when a rumor started. Mr. Dussold tries many ways to make the rumor stop happening and assure everyone it is not true. Bartlett tells you about how the university does investigations on the rumor and what Mr. Dussold does to try and clear his name.

Describing later on how the investigation ended and explain why Dussold ends up suing the college for false termination.

Arguments

The main purpose of this article written by Bartlett is to help prove the innocence of Mr.Dussold and give the side of Dussold's story behind the rumor made against him. Trying to make an ethical argument Bartlett tells how Dussold's reputation is put into question. According to the article Bartlett describes how Dussold had gone to Southern Illinois as a student and had offers from other colleges to work there but took the job at SIUE because "It felt like coming home." In fact he said "'I used to tell them I would take this job for nothing,'" and how many of his students and colleagues enjoyed working with him. Dussold tried to steer clear of arguments with others and then out of nowhere a rumor is started the ruins his character as a teacher.

Bartlett also elucidates that Dussold whole life started changing after this rumor had been started. The author states that Dussold who was once an outgoing professor but once the rumor started, allegations were made about him which led him to start questioning everyone and everything around him "Every interaction now carried a question mark: Who believes the rumor?...Were there more?" Each day these questions were rattling around in his head, not knowing the answer to any of them. Eventually he starts going into his own shell trying to not cause any more problems in his life "The once-outgoing professor started keeping to himself." The rumors started making Dussold stressed showing us an emotional argument.

Author Style

Bartlett starts out describing how Dussold has told this story many times, saying how he was fired, how he was escorted and how he felt hopeless. "But even after two years and numerous retellings, the emotion still sneaks up on him." But does not give the full story away making you curious and wanting to read more. He also goes on to mention that he was fired for "plagiarism" but he felt that, that was not the true reason. Dussold believes the reason is because a rumor that had start but was not true, and vouched to clear his name. "No matter what you think of Mr. Dussold…you can't dent his zeal: He is a man on a mission." Though Bartlett tells you this information he still leaves out the main details like what the rumor is or how Mr. Dussold is going to prove his side of the story making this an intriguing contradiction.

Bartlett writes this story in order of the events that had happened besides his brief explanation in the introduction. In the first passage of this article Bartlett explains how Dussold used to be a student at SIUE and was ecstatic when he was offered a job there "'I used to tell them I'd take this job for nothing,'" going on to say how he and his colleagues as well as his students were getting along well and his life was going good. Later on you find out about how Dussold's life has been turned upside down due to a rumor starting accusing him of having sexual activities with a student that was in one of his after school clubs, "Every interaction now carried a question mark,". Eventually you learn that Dussold get the dean involved who does his own investigation and later on fires but not for the rumor, but because of plagiarism of another professors work. Dussold turns back around after getting fired and sues them because he believes he was truly fired because of the rumor, and how he now has a new job and a college not far from SIUE, "He remains convinced that it was the rumor-and the fear that he would sue-that led to his firing. And he believes he can prove that in court."

Response

This story was unconvincing due to the fact that Bartlett says Dussold claims to be fired because the rumor was started. Then Bartlett just explains everything surrounding the rumor and never exaggerates on the actual reason he got fired, which was plagiarism. It is also unbelievable since it says Ms. Peyla, the student from the rumor, decided at one point to just go on with the rumor and report that it was true. Not many people would willingly just agree with a rumor that is potentially life ruining if it were not true. This article could have been more convincing if other professors or students had been included in the story. This would have helped because the more witnesses the more proof of what really happened and that usually would help in deciding if a person is guilty or not judging from an article about their situation.