Student essay gets him suspended

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PONTIAC, Mich., Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A 56-year-old student at a Michigan university says his free speech rights are being violated by his suspension for writing an essay, "Hot for Teacher."

Joseph Corlett of Orion was also barred from the campus of Oakland University in Pontiac and told he must get psychological counseling before he can return to school, The Oakland Press reported. A university committee cleared him of sexual harassment but found that he had committed intimidating behavior.

Corlett has appealed the decision within the university. If that fails, he says, Oakland will face a "very serious lawsuit."

The essay, with a title taken from a Van Halen song, was written for an advanced critical writing class.

"Christ, I'll never learn a thing. Tall, blond, stacked, skirt, heels, fingernails, smart, articulate, smile. I'm toast, but I stay," wrote Corlett.

Corlett said he received As for previous sexually oriented essays in the class. He also said that while he described the instructor as attractive he did not say he wanted a sexual relationship with her.