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You Want Us to Do What?--A professor imposes leftist activism as a course assignment.
FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | February 16, 2004 | Tony Stevens

Posted on 02/16/2004 6:06:26 AM PST by SJackson

Everyone’s had a professor they know to be extremely liberal or conservative. Some professors simply wear their political beliefs on their sleeves without even knowing it. Usually their political views don’t make their way into the classroom. However, if it happens, it should be done in such a way that would not be construed as an attempt at the political indoctrination of the students in the class. Of course, sometimes those political biases inappropriately make their way into the classroom, as has recently occurred at my school, California University of Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.

I’m a public relations student at Cal U and am attending with the ultimate goal of working in the motor sports industry after I graduate. Like other majors, there are a number of required courses for PR majors to complete in order to graduate. Included in the lineup of required courses for PR students is one called PR Cases and Problems, which I enrolled in this semester. It meets once a week on Wednesday nights with Dr. Dencil Backus.

While the first class seemed fair enough--Dr. Backus seemed to be one of those professors that would make us work hard--he made a few comments in class that simply oozed with hate for those on the Right, the military, and “big business.” As long as these comments didn’t seep into the course work, I just chose to treat them with a grain of salt. But in subsequent classes, the professor’s political views have seeped into the course work in a manner that I feel is inappropriate.

The second class saw the State of the Union address become a topic of discussion, with Dr. Backus going off on a tangent about how much he despised President Bush and how he was “the biggest liar we’ve ever had as a president.” Dr. Backus then proceeded to say how Bush lied about the war on terror, everything in Iraq, and other things that I’m sure I probably missed. I spoke up and disagreed, telling him I would bring evidence to support my arguments. I thought no more of it except to print out my stack of stuff and bring it to him the next class.

During the third class we discussed our assignments and assorted other coursework. But as class was winding up, Dr. Backus distributed a two-page email he had received concerning the far Left group MoveOn.org’s political commercial contest and their issues with CBS, which couldn’t run the contest winner during the Super Bowl because MoveOn.org missed CBS’ deadline for purchasing airtime. After distributing the e-mail to the class, Dr. Backus asked if anyone knew was familiar with the situation. I was the only one.

Dr. Backus also asked if anyone had seen the commercial and, again, I was the only one. I mentioned that I thought the commercial was silly and why I felt that way. The professor and I debated the commercial’s merits, or lack thereof, only when he insisted I say what was on my mind.

After our exchange on the subject, Dr. Backus told the class that our new assignment was to design a campaign around MoveOn.org’s commercial and how the organization might be able to convince CBS (and probably anyone else) to air its message. I told Dr. Backus that since I was not a supporter of MoveOn.org’s agenda, I instead wanted to design a campaign that was anti-MoveOn.org, one that was more in step with my beliefs. Dr. Backus refused, saying words to the effect of "Well, guess what, you just failed."

He then seemed to briefly consider canceling the assignment, but decided to proceed with it over my objections and continued to refuse to allow me to turn in the assignment as I saw fit to complete it. He then explained the assignment again, dismissed the class, and asked to speak with me following class. Now, during the entire course of study in the PR field at this university, it is branded onto your brain that if you don’t agree or have a moral conflict with an assignment in the “real world,” that you’ve got a few options that include quitting, asking to be reassigned, doing the work, or simply being fired.

During the course of our after-class conversation, Dr. Backus stated that he didn’t want everything in the class becoming a clash of ideas culminating in an incident like the one we’d just had. I agreed. He then went on to say that it’s “real damned easy” to speak up against a job in college, but not when it affects the food on the table and a family in the “real world.” I said that yes, he was right, but just because it was harder doesn’t mean I haven’t done it before. I’ve left various jobs, volunteer groups, etc. because of things that were going on that seriously conflicted with my values and what I believed was right. He had no response for that except, “Well, it’s real damned easy here. Real damned easy.”

I personally feel that my proposal isn't a very hard one to accept. It’s the same assignment, just coming from the opposite side of the fence. I’ve interpreted his response(s) to my suggestion as one that says I will have to live with him pushing only his political agenda. Dr. Backus mentioned that he doesn't want every class to become something where there's a commotion over content, but I have a feeling it will become so because this professor is pretty open about his agenda. His office door is plastered w/ Anti-Bush bumper stickers and the like, which in itself is fine because it's his office and he can say what he wants there. However, when he begins bringing that agenda into the classroom, I have a huge problem with it.

Approximately three months of this class remain before the semester is over. The said assignment is going to be handed in – from the opposite side of the fence – approximately two hours after this article is penned. Whether Dr. Backus will choose to allow and accept such an assignment, or impose only his political worldview on the class has yet to be seen. However, if he’s like many other liberals in the World of Academia, I have a feeling that this incident is far from over. Only time will tell.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: academia; dencilbackus; highereducation; leftismoncampus; tenuredradicals
Backus, Dencil K.
Department: Department of Communication Studies
Position: Assistant Professor
E-Mail: backus@cup.edu
1 posted on 02/16/2004 6:06:26 AM PST by SJackson
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To: SJackson
Of course, sometimes those political biases inappropriately make their way into the classroom, as has recently occurred at my school, California University of Pennsylvania

Well, DUH!!!

What is their slogan...

California University of Pennsylvania...Bringing California values to the Amish...

2 posted on 02/16/2004 6:10:47 AM PST by Onelifetogive
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To: SJackson
Some things never change. Ego-laden college profs are a prime example.
3 posted on 02/16/2004 6:11:14 AM PST by Glenn (What were you thinking, Al?)
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To: SJackson
The guy ought to conduct Show Trials.
4 posted on 02/16/2004 6:13:02 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim (Just once I'd like to get by on my looks.)
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To: SJackson
http://www.cup.edu/ugcatalog/Faculty.htm

Dencil K. Backus.
Appointed to position 1983
Assistant Professor in Communication Studies.

A.B., Glenville State College

M.A., West Virginia University
5 posted on 02/16/2004 6:13:52 AM PST by Fixit
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To: Fixit
I don't see a doctorate listed, so either the website isn't up to date or Mr. Backus isn't really Dr. Backus.
6 posted on 02/16/2004 6:14:51 AM PST by Fixit
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To: SJackson
A professor imposes leftist activism as a course assignment.

No way. What are they gonna tell me next, a bear craps in the woods?

7 posted on 02/16/2004 6:16:54 AM PST by Always Right
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To: SJackson
I'd suggest you begin elevating the issue, always being very polite. Email the professor your concerns and cc. the department head. Failing resolution, email the university president. If the university had a code of conduct, you may be able to reference that and show that it's being violated in this case.

Be persistant and polite, is my advice. But don't let it remain at the level of merely this professor.

8 posted on 02/16/2004 6:25:45 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: SJackson
I've been the victim of many left wing professors, and I have to tell you that I don't see this as that bad. In fact, I think its a damn good assignment, and one that the student ought to see as a challenge. The hardest part about a PR job is not the slam-dunk cases, it's the times when not only is the case complicated, but where you as the PR man personally disagree with the position that is the right one for the organization that you represent.
9 posted on 02/16/2004 6:29:15 AM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along)
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To: SJackson
Actually, if your assignments are to be shared in class, I think it would be a WONDERFUL opportunity to lampoon their ideology, his assignment, and promote a different line of thinking. Simply take quotes, ideas, and pics from MoveOn.org, and show them for what they are, and how they don't work in the real world.

It's done on FR all the time. My personal favorite is how the Left promotes Diversity as our greatest strength... except when it comes to a diversity of income, wealth, ideas, world governments (all should be Socialist and obedient to the UN), opinions on race, opinions on marriage, opinions presented IN YOUR CLASS, etc. Then cite the Bakke decision from Cal, where SCOTUS said "to treat people the same, we must treat them differently". Have FUN with it! Liberals are SO easy to lampoon, just using their own words!

You'll still get your F in all likelihood, but you'll get your message across to the class much more effectively. THEN take your case to the Administration.

10 posted on 02/16/2004 6:42:56 AM PST by Teacher317
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To: NittanyLion; SJackson
"Failing resolution, email the university president"

Forget the email, send him a letter via registered mail.
11 posted on 02/16/2004 6:47:34 AM PST by Rebelbase (The gravy train makes unscheduled stops.)
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To: SJackson
cc your local newspaper.
12 posted on 02/16/2004 7:04:11 AM PST by pdlglm
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To: Hobsonphile
Leftism on campus ping!!!!!
13 posted on 02/16/2004 7:43:41 AM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace (Michael <a href = "http://www.michaelmoore.com/" title="Miserable Failure">"Miserable Failure"</a>)
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To: SJackson
I've had my share of leftie professors myself. Whacko JFK conpiratists, EuroGreens, leftist social snipers, pseudo- "pro-rights" nutjobs who think teaching minorities academic English is racist... (Paraphrase: "Who cares if Afro-Americans can't construct a sentence. If you can understand them, that is what is important!" This philosophy will guarantee that more janitors and burger flippers will have four year degrees.)

But your prof is right on one thing. Sometimes you have to dance like an organ grinder's monkey in order to make it through, just like in the "real world." I decided early on that I would keep a low political profile on campus until I graduate and do some real "damage" as a lawyer or a professor myself as I believe that the right is underrepresented in these two fields.

Good luck in the future.

APf
14 posted on 02/16/2004 7:51:07 AM PST by APFel
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To: APFel
Just realized that the poster is not the author... Duh on me. :/

APf
15 posted on 02/16/2004 7:51:48 AM PST by APFel
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To: SJackson
Am I the only one to whom this doesn't seem so bad? The title is a little misleading--I was expecting an assignment to counter-protest against pro-lifers at an abortion clinic or to join in a gay-pride parade. Unless part of the assignment is actually going out and actively promoting a leftist agenda (instead of just writing a paper about how one would do so), then I don't see such a problem. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what's called for in the assignment, but the article doesn't make that clear--designing a campaign and executing a campaign are two different things. Either way...

Is it a dumb assignment? Sure. But if one is working in PR, one is probably going to have to occasionally use rhetoric to make dumb things look slightly less dumb. Obviously one shouldn't, in PR, ever support things that go against one's conscience, but in this case one seems to be building a hypothetical campaign rather than a real one. It is actually quite useful to take the time to understand how an opponent would argue a particular point--and indeed, to know the argument better than one's opponent. There's no reason that the student couldn't have finished the assignment, as it was assigned, and attached a note stressing that he did not actually agree with MoveOn's position, but still could see how they would build a campaign to achieve their purpose.

16 posted on 02/16/2004 8:36:02 AM PST by pseudo-ignatius
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To: SJackson
The student will probably get nicked on this as, ON THE SURFACE, it appears to be on par with a debating class having the student defend the opposite side.

Here, however, the prof's bias is clear, otherwise he would have the left-leaning students write a P/R for CBS and the right-wing for MoveOn.

Maybe the student could claim bias since no one was asked to promote CBS's stand.
17 posted on 02/16/2004 11:02:53 AM PST by Oatka
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To: Rodney King
Good point!
18 posted on 02/16/2004 11:08:02 AM PST by CyberAnt (The 2004 Election is for the SOUL of AMERICA)
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To: SJackson
Email David Horowitz at frontpagemag.com. He might be interetested in this.
19 posted on 02/16/2004 11:16:11 AM PST by asformeandformyhouse (Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular.)
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To: SJackson
Okay, now I see this is where you got the article. Little slow today. Sorry.
20 posted on 02/16/2004 11:17:47 AM PST by asformeandformyhouse (Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular.)
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