Films used in campus showdown

A North Idaho College history instructor’s offer of extra credit to students who watch Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” documentary has fired up some campus Republicans.

Now the college’s Young Republican Club plans to air the conservative response to Moore’s film – “Fahrenhype 9/11.” The film will air at 4 p.m. Friday in NIC’s Todd Lecture Hall. An hour after that movie’s over, NIC’s Students for Progressive Change will host a showing of Moore’s film.

On Wednesday morning, Vice President for Instruction Jerry Gee said he quashed instructor Sharla Chittick’s offer of extra credit to students who watch Moore’s film. By afternoon, Gee reversed his decision. He said he looked into the issue further and discovered “Fahrenheit 9/11” was one of about 20 options students had to earn extra credit.

Chittick could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

“There are other options,” said student Lorie Heinrichs, “but none of the other options are politically biased and this one is politically biased.”

Heinrichs, 22, said she went to Vinny Zito, president of NIC’s Young Republicans with her concerns.

The fact that Chittick serves as adviser for Students for Progressive Change, or the “Democrat” club, as the college Republicans call it, raised their ire even more.

“This is nothing new if you’re a student on campus,” Zito said. “This is the same old crap. The liberal teachers are always pushing their liberal agenda.”

Heinrichs, a Republican, said she generally thinks Chittick is a fair teacher.

“She doesn’t teach us Democratic values or anything,” Heinrichs said, “but the fact she’s allowing extra credit for a Democrat thing is disturbing to me.”

Both Heinrichs and Zito said they felt many NIC instructors had liberal leanings. Heinrichs said she’s received “propaganda” for a “left-wing kind of action group” in another class and actually left class once because she was so upset.

Alan Lamb, chair of NIC’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Division, said if a more conservative film were being aired, “she probably would have suggested that one.”

“She’s trying to encourage them to go out and be active and encourage them to attend different events,” Lamb said.

The Young Republicans didn’t plan to air “Fahrenhype 9/11” until after Heinrichs approached Zito. Zito said he plans to tell Chittick about the film and ask her to offer extra credit to students who attend.

With the election just days away, Lamb said there’s a heightened sense of anxiety on campus where politics are concerned. “I think people are extra sensitive to these things right now,” he said.

He described Chittick as “one of the best teachers” at NIC.

“I know Sharla’s careful not to sway people in her classes one way or another on things,” he said.