Posted on 04/13/2007 7:01:53 AM PDT by mcvey
From christinerickson@comcast.net Sent Thursday, April 12, 2007 11:05 am Subject Difficult situation in survey
Hello, I’m hoping that folks on the list will be able to help me out . . . .
I have a student in the U.S. survey, education major/social science emphasis (he’ll be teaching high school). He’s a transfer student from a conservative college . . . absolutely loves history – and a libertarian . . .not a jerk (at least to my face). . . . He wrote a paper . . . where he was supposed to contemplate whether . . . he would have been involved in the civil rights movement, he utterly criticized the whole civil rights movement -- blacks asking for “special privileges” and such – and called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “despicable.” (He said it may have been fine for the gov’t to prohibit discrimination in public spaces, but not, absolutely not, in private places). He ended with a quote from Ayn Rand.
Frankly, I’m at a loss to understand how anybody (esp. anyone who attends a university and who has some education) can reject the entire CRM . . . . I’m not sure what to do about it – do I sit down have a chat with him? Try to talk sense? Leave the lines of communication open – hoping that he will learn something? Hoping perhaps, that by taking college course he will begin to question some of his assumptions? . . . . I’m scared to think that this guy is going to get a teaching job.
Note that this student also wanted the history department/history club to sponsor a speaker (about whom the student was almost giddy) whose books include The Politically Incorrect Guide to U.S. History (from Amazon – the entire New Deal/Great Society are socialist plots and historians in academe are all radicals) and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (need I say anything here?)
Colleagues, I am so troubled about this . . .
Chris Erickson christinerickson@comcast.net
Associate Professor Chris Erickson, Indiana University, is asking for help with this malcontent and not-politically-correct student. He/she put this on H-Teach, which is the central discussion list for teachers of History.
Now, I think that Dr. Erickson is probably getting his/her advice from far too small a pool of discussants. I do believe he/she should have input from a more diverse set of authorities. So, in my attempt to be helpful to her, I am suggesting that Freepers send him/her advice. You will see that I left her e-mail address on the post. I have noticed that a lot of my colleagues are giving him/her help also and you might want to help them. The address for H-Teach is http://www.h-net.org/~teach/. I think in the spirit of collegiality, well, we have a duty to try to help.
Thank you for your willingness to participate. McVey
That forum software is painful.
There are actually some fairly reaonable responses, though I haven’t read them all.
I’d be curious to see what she’s getting in her private email from others on that forum.
No way to find out. I guess her sense of superiority put me through the roof. It is what they would call “paternalistic.” As I keep saying on FR, if Freepers are not checking and balancing academe, we are making a big mistake.
McVey
Dear Professor: You are correct to be concerned. The student should be locked in jail for expressing an opinion outside of the politically correct groupthink. College is no place for free-thinking that might offend someone, unless of course that free-thinking condemns America and Christians, they deserve to be offended. Keep up the good work professor.
From Wikipedia
Vote totals
Totals are in “Yea-Nay” format:
The Original House Version: 290-130 (69%-31%)
The Senate Version: 73-27 (73%-27%)
The Senate Version, as voted on by the House: 289-126 (70%-30%)
By party
The original House version:
Democratic Party: 153-96 (61%-39%)
Republican Party: 138-34 (79%-21%)
The Senate version:
Democratic Party: 46-22 (68%-32%)
Republican Party: 27-6 (82%-18%)
The Senate version, voted on by the House:
Democratic Party: 153-91 (63%-37%)
Republican Party: 136-35 (80%-20%)
By party and region
The original House version:
Southern Democrats: 7-87 (7%-93%)
Southern Republicans: 0-10 (0%-100%)
Northern Democrats: 145-9 (94%-6%)
Northern Republicans: 138-24 (85%-15%)
The Senate version:
Southern Democrats: 1-20 (5%-95%) (only Senator Ralph Yarborough of Texas voted in favor)
Southern Republicans: 0-1 (0%-100%) (this was Senator John Tower of Texas)
Northern Democrats: 45-1 (98%-2%) (only Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia opposed the measure)
Northern Republicans: 27-5 (84%-16%) (Senators Bourke Hickenlooper of Iowa, Barry Goldwater of Arizona, Edwin L. Mechem of New Mexico, Milward L. Simpson of Wyoming, and Norris H. Cotton of New Hampshire opposed the measure)
1) I recognize that Iraq didn't attack us on 9/11.
2) If the class doesn't know the historical background, maybe the teacher should blame himself.
3) I rather doubt that this view is widely held. I would say that in light of the 9/11 attack, then our attack on Iraq was justified. I bet a lot of students held that view and I bet the teacher interpreted their view incorrectly. I've seen that a lot.
Here's a quote from this guy:
"Apparently many of you believe that Iraq attacked us on 9/11. That is false. The President and Vice President did suggest this before the war, although it was an unsupported claim, just as accurate and supported as their claims about WMDs. However, even the President and his administration have completely backed away from these claims - and had by the summer and fall of 2003. However, most of you were just starting high school by then and, with the war now declared over, probably paid no attention to this belated retraction. Nonetheless, I do understand why you think this. It would make the Iraq War much more reasonable. It would provide a reasonable justification for the war. That's why people are so frustrated by this war now. All of the justifications provided by the administration before the war have been disproven.
He's pretty biased against the war and against the administration. I think what he finds most shocking is that some of his students don't agree with him.
No point in arguing with him. However, if someone wants to send the following message to him, I would appreciate it (I cant figure out how to post there):
Universities are full of ideas that push the limits. This is usually encouraged. For example, the notions that there is no objective truth in the world. That all truth must be viewed through lenses of race, gender, and class. etc.
This is part of the whole deconstructionist movement.
Many of these ideas are silly, but if they are well thought out, and make us rethink core assumptions, they are a welcome addition to the classroom.
What your student is doing is, in essence, deconstructing the civil rights movement. He is doing it through the thoeretical lense that individuals in a free world are best at solving racial issues, as opposed to government. The theory is not in itself wrong, but rather most people find it is utterly impractical. Perhaps the student should be commended for having the guts to tackle such an issue.
I read the first few responses on that board. All very reasonable.
Dear Professor:
Fail him. Give him a zero. Talk to your colleagues and ensure that he is never given an opportunity to teach anywhere, at any level.
Remember what Comrade Lenin said in a similiar situation, “We’ll respond to Kerinsky, he’ll respond to us, this kind of thing can have no end. Denounce him as an enemy of the people and be done with it.”
Best to strangle this kind of disease in the crib. You absolutely cannot afford to allow a heretic into the ranks of academia at any level. Tell the little snot to get a radio show like Rush Limbaugh.
Sincerely,
Your Pal, LiM
Great answer and thanks.
Dear Prof., resign your tenured position in favor of a minority.
Dear Professor Erickson:
I hope I will be able to help you out . . . .
You are extremely lucky that you have a student in the U.S. survey, education major/social science emphasis (he’ll be teaching high school) who absolutely loves history. Enthusiasm is the best teacher and I’m sure he’ll be far superior to those who just want an easy curriculum and regular paycheck with lifetime protection from the teacher’s unions. Do you not recognize and celebrate the fact that even teachers can be a diverse group—or is celebrating diversity only acceptible when it excludes philosophical diversity??
Many reasonable people agree that the Civil Rights Act precipitated some necessary changes, but it did indeed abridge a significant amount of private freedom. In fact, some black scholars hold the opinion that the Civil Rights Act and Great Society programs of the 60’s led to the destruction of the black family.
Why is a quote from Ayn Rand a problem for you? I’m sure if he had quoted Ghandi, or MLK or Marx you wouldn’t have given it another thought.
Frankly, I’m at a loss to understand how a professor such as yourself (who attended a university and who has some education) can view this writing assignment as an opporunity to indoctrinate a student into the correct way of thinking in your view. Wasn’t the point of the exercise to discuss whether or not he would have been involved? He chose not. Have you ever participated in a debate where you were assigned the side? Perhaps it wasn’t your personal view but it was an excellent intellectual exercise to have to support it anyway? Why are you concerned with the content of the paper as oposed to the form? Why are you not questioning your assumptions since you are teaching a college course? Why have you bought into the mindset of uniformity of thought? I’m scared to know that you have a teaching job.
You said:
“Note that this student also wanted the history department/history club to sponsor a speaker (about whom the student was almost giddy) whose books include The Politically Incorrect Guide to U.S. History (from Amazon – the entire New Deal/Great Society are socialist plots and historians in academe are all radicals) and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (need I say anything here?)”
What is wrong with hearing the views of this author? It’s okay to have Peter Singer or Ward Churchill as college speakers but not this author or the Minutemen? I think this is an excellent opportunity for you to learn something from this student and evaluate your own position on the role of a college education and freedom of thought and speech. I think this student may become your best teacher.
Finally, I am troubled that this apparently is the first student who has not fit your idea of the perfect robotic liberal spouting back to you the propaganda you seek to inculcate in your students. That is scary!!
Gator Girl at Freerepublic.com
Probably what upset the prof the most was the quote from Ayn Rand. The collectivists hate her sense of individuality and free thinking.
Notice how the this student is not succumbing to the prof’s group think. The issue for the prof is not whether the student states his case well, it is whether it is in sync with the collectivist world view.
Hence the process is not education, it is indoctrination.
What probably knocked the professor for a loop was having his views challenged. Most students know that the professorate is full of hooey, they just want to get their degrees and go on with their lives. They mistake lack of any articulated disagreement with assent.
Academia must have a very narrow spectrum if this the first time a professor has ever had to even consider rebutting liberitarian arguments.
diversity of thought is a bitch professor.
Dear Chris,
Read about your dilemma with the conservative student.
Here’s what you should do.
Grade his paper on whatever criteria are published, technical proficiency, logical development, whatever. Ignore his political views. They are actually none of your business. It is not your place to “enlighten” the students to your own way of thinking.
That’s what “diversity” is really about: differences in opinion. Skin color is nothing.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Chesley X, Ph.D.
My Dear “Professor” Erickson,
Why are you in any doubt as to the proper course of action? Clearly this student is unfit to co-exist in a politically correct university committed to blinkered indoctrination. You must make life for this student as miserable as possible, with derisive ridicule in class and failing grades on written work. Do all in your power to ensure the student will depart your “university” in disgust. Oh, and as you note, we need not even talk about a “politically incorrect” approach to Islam, because it goes without saying that no good leftist academic would ever entertain any ideas about Islam that have not already been approved.
I am a professor myself, GatorGirl. You get an “A” for that response.
The leftist indoctrinator is disturbed that there could be a person who hasn’t fallen down and worshipped official leftist dogma. How could this student have slipped by all the years of public school propaganda and still not have seen the light of leftism?
Too bad, prof. There is at least one person who has escaped from the re-education gulag.
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