Posted on 11/04/2003 6:27:40 PM PST by prman
Just when you think that things have settled down on the diversity, multi-cultural and political correctness fronts in our colleges and universities, some newly imagined “outrage” emerges to galvanize students during those hours away from their books.
With a long history of being at the forefront of trendy causes, the University of Michigan has become a natural bellwether for detecting heretofore concealed wrongs against some unfortunate group. Once detected, the forces of the university are marshaled into action to rectify the (choose one): a) harassment, b) discrimination, c) oppression.
As a demonstration of its bona fides, the U of M administration created the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs (LGBT) to cater to the identity needs of the other-directed in their roles as members of the university community.
In a lengthy report issued earlier this year, a gender identity working group found that all sorts of changes need to be made in a host of university services, including housing, health clinics, records keeping, counseling, orientation, etc.
Buttressed by the superior wisdom of students, the group recommended that the university alter its policies to accommodate an extremely small number of transgender persons on campus, not the other way around.
Since the prevailing attitudes of the school community simply reflect those of society at large, one wonders if accommodationist policies at the college will prepare such persons for the discomforts they will face when they leave.
In this spirit, a special Provost’s Task Force on the Campus Climate for Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Faculty, Staff and Students recently was appointed to scour the campus for real and imagined slights against this beleaguered community, in order to evaluate whether university policies and practices conform to making them feel “safe and comfortable.”
One result of this effort has been the revision of the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, where gender identity was added to the code as a protected group.
Past actions taken on campus to accommodate transgender individuals include an inventory of campus restrooms, taken earlier this year, to provide a listing of where and how many unisex or gender-inclusive restrooms are available. At least one sign was noticed on a restroom door that declared “This bathroom doesn’t discriminate on the basis of gender identity and sexuality.”
Although the portal sign is not quite as memorable as Dante’s “All hope abandon, ye who enter here,” one speculates at the reaction of college coeds who will now presumably powder their noses alongside transgender males. And with the perennial concern about violence against women on college campuses, a gender-neutral bathroom would seem to be an ideal safe haven for stalkers.
Making all bathrooms unisex across the country to accommodate transgender persons might seem downright silly to most people, but it is unfortunately indicative of the mindset of many activist college students and their professors. Issues of race, culture, gender and sexuality are an overriding concern to many who dwell in these communities, and they filter all subject matter through the lens of each of these issues — from Greek poetry to physical chemistry.
With such matters elbowing out more important areas of learning, it seems hard to avoid the conclusion that these schools have lost sight of the fundamental goal of education: to produce intelligent, capable, articulate and well-rounded citizens who have developed the critical and analytical skills necessary to lead productive lives.
In The Michigan Review, a journal of campus affairs at the U of M, an editorial complained there has been a movement away from rigorous courses that emphasize reasoning skills in favor of discussion-based courses. These produce students who have difficulty condensing and articulating their thoughts, and ultimately, they are unable to effectively communicate their ideas.
On the other hand, the students are encouraged to open up about their racial feelings and sexual orientation. Thus, an institution of higher learning has been transformed into an overpriced self-help center.
When attending the University of Michigan 40 years ago, students were directed to take courses in science, history, philosophy, mathematics, languages and literature, in addition to concentrated courses in major areas of study – challenging studies that furthered reasoning ability and broad understanding.
Today, this has been tossed aside in favor of what the Review calls a “cheaper, dumbed-down, cute and fuzzy, touch-feely” curriculum. Instead of developing intellectual ability, the university chooses instead to help students find their personal identities.
Parents and taxpayers should ask themselves whether it is worth the very real financial sacrifices necessary to earn a four-year degree simply to achieve this goal.
Barrett Kalellis is a Michigan-based columnist and writer whose articles appear regularly in various local and national print and online publications.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.