Posted on 11/14/2005 8:23:01 AM PST by Exigence
Profs get warned of freedoms
By MENSAH M. DEAN
deanm@phillynews.com
Words such as "McCarthyism" and "chill" buzzed through a group of Temple University professors and students who gathered on campus yesterday to discuss a state legislative committee's investigation of political diversity at state-run colleges.
The "teach-in," sponsored by the Temple Association of University Professionals, drew an audience overwhelmingly convinced that the committee's very existence is a threat to academic freedom.
"I think that there is a concern that people are going to start coming in and say, 'You can do this, but you can't do this.' If we are teaching about the Holocaust, do we also have to give the same amount of time to Holocaust denier?" art history Professor Jane Evans asked during an interview.
"That's the logical conclusion," she added.
The Republican-backed state House of Representatives committee is probing, among other things, complaints by conservative students that they are routinely mistreated and unfairly graded by liberal college professors.
The resolution that created the investigative committee reads, in part: "Students and faculty should be protected from the imposition of ideological orthodoxy, and faculty members have the responsibility to not take advantage of their authority position to introduce inappropriate or irrelevant subject matter outside their field of study." The committee held its first hearing Wednesday at the University of Pittsburgh.
According to Rep. Lawrence H. Curry, a committee member who addressed last night's group, the committee discussed whether to allow lawmakers to monitor courses that advocate rather than educate.
Curry, a Democrat whose District includes parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia, said the committee also discussed the creation of a means for bringing political balance to faculties.
"You better take that seriously. Administrations had better take that seriously," Curry told the Temple group. He and every Democrat voted against the creation of the committee.
"Certainly, the growing campaign against the academic community is... a cause for concern," Ellen Schrecker, Yeshiva University history professor, told the Temple group.
Just as in the 1950s, right-wing forces are threatening to impose political tests for the nation's faculties, she said.
"The threat is more serious this time because unlike the McCarthy era, when professors came under fire for their extracurricular political activists, today it's the core academic functions, their teaching and research that is at issue," she said.
AH! the blessings of McCarthyism, its a joy to be alive..
Fighting the serial killers and mass murderers of competition..
Kind of makes me get all warm and fuzzy inside..
Seems to me there are alot of Holocaust deniers on the left. Not the German one, Just the Soviet, Chinese, N. Korean, Cuban, Cambodian, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, etc. ones...
Actually, I DO teach about the Holocaust deniers and explain their positions. Students need to be prepared for such people
I slap a lot of Leftie holocaust deniers in the face with Rummell.
20TH CENTURY DEMOCIDE
http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM
As far as I can tell there is little left to conserve in the academic political arena; what we need now are resurrectionists.
Ping: This last meeting was at Temple. Check with Jeremy and get us a first hand update.
Joe McCarthy to his last day had no idea of the extent Stalin had penetrated the United States government.. even before WWII.. and that Stalin completely funded the American Communist Party.. AND directed it..
Joe McCarthy was the first full fledged "Borking" in the United States... "Borking" non-socialists happens regularly now in Academe and Hollywood.. and the Main Stream Media and Press too.. And it seems to appear, Congress too..
Its hard to find on the streets anyone that even knows what socialism even "IS", let alone, that communism "IS" socialism..
How entirely appropriate that when we want to bring more balance of viewpoint to academe, the Leftists start shouting "McCarthyism".
Precisely.
Point well taken.
"Tyranny of Liberal Academia" ping
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