I was shocked that Penn State senior sociology lecturer Sam Richards' name was listed in David Horowitz's new book, The Professors: The Most Dangerous Academics in America ("Horowitz claims 2 teachers are unfit," Feb. 28).

Horowitz attacks Richards' style of teaching by simply glancing at his Web site. Richards spends his days debunking racial stereotypes while Horowitz creates new ones with his approach.

In labeling Richards and the other 100 teachers "unfit," Horowitz advances his agenda the same way all racists do -- with a lack of serious research or thought to each individual in the group.

Could a Web site convey Richards' classroom demeanor? If Horowitz had actually sat in on his class, he would know that Richards makes it abundantly clear that his goal is to get his students to think. His ideology is simply reflective of an open mind.

We are Penn State and we need to applaud faculty members who challenge the standard methods of teaching. Richards teaches using the Socratic method, which gets students involved in their own learning. There is not one voice in Richards' classes -- there are hundreds.

If anything, Richards encourages students to be free thinkers and form their own opinions. That's why I would group him with the same "dangerous" men who authored the Bill of Rights.