University of Virginia Library

George Mason Faculty Member

Shea Dismissal Asked
For Anti-War Views

A demand that a faculty member
at George Mason College be
fired for his anti-war views has
been referred to the University's
Board of Visitors by Governor
Mills E. Godwin.

David D. Hudson, a student at
the college and Republican candidate
for the House of Delegates
from Fairfax-Falls Church,
asked the governor Monday to
oust James M. Shea, an assistant
professor of philosophy at George
Mason.

The controversy arose over Mr.
Shea's views supporting nonviolence.
He returned his draft
card on April 27, and as a result
has lost his III-A classification.
He is now classified I-A delinquent
and has been ordered to
report for induction into the
armed services in Richmond on
November 4.

Non-Violent Commitment

Defending his position, Mr.
Shea was quoted in the George
Mason student newspaper as saying.
"I am committed to nonviolence
as a way of life and
refuse to cooperate with the Selective
Service System, even at
the risk of going to prison."

Mr. Hudson, a former GI who
is now a student at the college,
said Mr. Shea is "openly and
contemptuously in violation of
America's selective service law"
through his refusal to serve.

'No Loss Dangerous'

He asked the governor to remove
Mr. Shea from the faculty
of George Mason as a part of
the state's "responsibility to act
against lawbreakers." He said that
the 29-year old instructor has
"urged young men to resist military
service. . .thereby conspiring
with others to break the laws. . ."

He continued that if Mr. Shea
were "peddling heroin," he would
be "called to account immediately.
What he is doing is no less dangerous
to the young men of Virginia."

There has been no action taken
by the college administration
against Mr. Shea. Although the
college may not support his views,
according to Dean of the College
Robert C. Krug, the administration
endorses his right to express
them.

Students at the college have
described Mr. Shea as a "top-rate"
professor. According to the
Gunston Ledger, the college's student
newspaper, many of his students
were not aware of his nonviolent
opinions until a letter
from the professor appeared in
the paper recently.

Mr. Shea is a 1960 graduate
of the University, and taught at
Centenary College in Louisiana
before accepting his present post
at George Mason.