Bill Ayers is not a worldly man.

That's the impression Millersville University sophomore Kellie Coupal had of him as she listened to his thoughts on education Thursday during Ayers' visit to the college.

Still, Coupal, a special-education major, is a big fan of Ayers'. In fact, she penned "I Love Bill Ayers" on a white T-shirt and stood outside of MU's Student Memorial Center in support of his visit.

Coupal was one of about 40 people who gathered outside the Student Memorial Center, across the street from where Ayers was speaking in Gordinier Hall, to either cheer his visit or condemn his educational theories and controversial past.

Many held scribbled messages such as "MU = Education Not Ignorance" and "Bill Ayers' Past Is A Blast."

Some students, such as sophomore Ryan Barrick, strongly opposed Ayers' presence on campus.

"His background is unrepentant as a domestic terrorist," said Barrick, president of MU's College Democrats. "It's an outrage by this institution and makes a mockery of this school's conference on urban education. It shows a total lack of responsibility."

Peggy Beerer, a retired teacher from Berks County, drove more than an hour to protest Ayers' visit to the school.

"I'm here to show the silent majority that we have credible issues and we can act responsibly in protest," Beerer said.

Beerer called Ayers a criminal who's hiding his true intentions.

"I think he's leaving out what he doesn't want the public to know," Beerer said.

Concerned mother Polly Ariano and her 15-year-old son, Mike, also demonstrated against Ayers.

Ariano said she's been fuming about Ayers' visit for weeks.

"What does this do for our schools — for him to come into this nice town and influence good kids?"

Mike agreed.

"I had to show up just because I know about all the bad stuff he did," he said.

MU graduate student Domenic Scorzetti, who is studying education, said it's a shame Ayers is even associated with education.

"I believe elevating him to the status of a representative of academics is a disgrace," Scorzetti said.

But MU sophomore Jerry Martin, a member of the campus group Students for a Democratic Society, said discussion and disagreements are part of the college experience.

"I believe you have the right to listen to somebody even if you don't agree with them," Martin said. "It's the best way to learn in college."

Martin said that doesn't mean he condones Ayers' affiliation with a radical group.

"I don't necessarily agree with his past," Martin said. "I understand he was fighting against institutional racism and the Vietnam War, but his actions were wrong. I believe he should have done it peacefully. I also believe people have the right to change."

Paul Sayko, an MU senior who also belongs to SDS, said he thinks Ayers' visit is important.

"I think it's good for the greater community to open up discourse on the state of urban education," Sayko said.

Ayers' visit created such a firestorm during the last several weeks that several police agencies patrolled campus all day Thursday.

In addition to the Millersville University Police Department, law-enforcement agencies on hand included Pennsylvania State police, Lancaster city police, Ephrata police and the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department and the South Central Task Force.

Earlier Thursday during a question-and-answer session in an education class, Coupal described Ayers as a father figure.

"He's got knowledge, and he wants to give it out," Coupal said. "He doesn't think he knows all the answers."

When it comes to theories on urban education, Coupal said Ayers is right.

"I love the ideas he has," Coupal said. "We need to recognize the problems in urban education and realize that we can't fix them with laws. He's telling teachers to go one-on-one with students and use their power as educators."

E-mail: mpennino@lnpnews.com