Appx 650 words
The Gerald Hannon Affair, 1995-1996
Letters, June 1996
Rick Bébout and Gerald Hannon
to The Globe and Mail
(unpublished)
June 8, 1996
Dan Brown (in Gerald Hannon deserved to lose his job, Focus, June 8) says his former teacher has "constantly eluded the question most central to the issue: How young is too young for sex? ... It depends on each case, is his pat response."
But later Dan dismisses his classmates' claim that "they were old enough to think for themselves -- as if age was the sole factor in determining mental autonomy." That seems a bit pat, too -- from someone demanding a fixed age for the safe (if sudden) bloom of erotic autonomy.
Dan casts himself the victim of Gerald Hannon as a teacher too effective: "The best professors do open minds to new ideas. ... He did change my thinking." Perhaps, then, he can answer the question most central to the issue of Gerald's right to teach at all: How old is too old for protection from serious thought?
Rick Bébout
Toronto
"Dear Rick: Here's the text of the letter. It reads a little too dryly sarcastic to me today. And I can't believe it doesn't have a date on it! But it must have gone out within a few days."
To the editor:
Bravo Dan Brown! A great piece of writing in the Globe June 8. Any teacher would be proud to see a student making a name for himself so soon after graduation -- though I can hardly claim all the credit for making you a good writer. You were a good writer when you arrived in my classroom.
Nonetheless, I flatter myself that I do see signs of some Hannonian influence at work: the arresting lead that seems at first to have little to do with your subject but segues quite naturally into a theme statement; the willingness to tackle tough subjects; paragraphing as a rhythm tool; the almost musically candential final paragraph.
Now, Dan, I'm no longer your teacher, but I'm hoping you'll permit some constructive criticisms as well. I recall teaching that a smart freelancer tries his or her best to recycle material through different markets, and I note that some parts of your Globe piece appeared first in a Voices essay your wrote for the December 6 issue of the Ryersonian. Good -- but I'm sure I also taught that you have to ensure material doesn't go out of date, and to keep an eye out for inaccuracies. Just a few points: I never brought the child sex ring/hockey analogy into the classroom. I did say that I could write an excellent piece defending kiddie porn, but that I'd probably have difficulty finding a publisher. You described that as an "off-hand comment" in the Ryersonian. By Saturday's Globe, though, "a comment" has become my "disgusting and upsetting views," which should not have come into the classroom. Which would suggest that they did. You do not refer to the inquiry, conducted by Ryerson, that found, after interviewing my students, that those views did not, in fact, come into the classroom, except in that "off-hand" comment way.
Finally, Dan, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't just call me up and do an interview. We certainly talked enough in class about the importance of doing so. It would have saved you the embarrassment of repeating your Ryersonian inaccuracy in the Globe. And I could have answered your "how young is too young" question. I won't answer it here though. My experience as a teacher tells me that spoon-fed students don't learn. If you want to know, you'll have to work to get the story. But I insist on buying the beer this time.
Gerald Hannon
[Toronto]
[The final chronology (so far)] [Kid-sex hooker prof scandal!] (Intro to Gerald Hannon case)