Controversial: Naomi Schaefer Riley called the five PhD topics irrelevant and said nobody would read them
Posted on 05/10/2012 12:09:45 PM PDT by dennisw
An education blogger has been fired after deeming black studies ‘left-wing victimization claptrap’.
Naomi Schaefer Riley’s essay entitled ‘The Most Persuasive Case for Eliminating Black Studies? Just Read the Dissertations’ prompted a petition signed by 6,500 people calling for her dismissal from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The lecturer 500-word post published April 30 was response to earlier article which listed the dissertation topics of five PhD students, which ranged from the history of black midwifery and housing policy.
'What a collection of left-wing victimization claptrap,’ she said of the dissertations. ‘The best that can be said of these topics is that they’re so irrelevant no one will ever look at them.’
‘Seriously, folks, there are legitimate debates about the problems that plague the black community from high incarceration rates to low graduation rates to high out-of-wedlock birth rates. But it’s clear that they’re not happening in black-studies departments,’
‘If these young scholars are the future of the discipline, I think they can just as well leave their calendars at 1963 and let some legitimate scholars find solutions to the problems of blacks in America. Solutions that don’t begin and end with blame the white man.’
The post came under fire from commenters who labelled her racist, and criticised her for not having read the dissertations.
But just four days later, McMillen said the publication regretted its decision and Riley was fired.
‘Several thousand of you spoke out in outrage and disappointment that The Chronicle had published an article that did not conform to the journalistic standards and civil tone that you expect from us,’ McMillen said.
‘We’ve heard you, and we have taken to heart what you said.
‘We now agree that Ms. Riley’s blog posting did not meet The Chronicle’s basic editorial standards for reporting and fairness
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Any “grievance studies” major is “claptrap”,
and that’s putting it mildly.
Controversial: Naomi Schaefer Riley called the five PhD topics irrelevant and said nobody would read them
Truth’ll get ya in trouble more often than not in our PC society of today.
While I do believe in getting rid of the office of Secretary of Education, if there has to be one, I nominate Naomi.
If John Derbyshire had a daughter... she’d know better than to say things like that.
Not guilty.
Whipped dog yelps the loudest.
Truth = Hurts
Some people just can’t handle the truth.
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”, as the old United Negro College Fund public service “begging” announcement used to say before most of you were born.
But minds are being wasted when they are so full of ssss they can’t see nor understand the truth that would indeed set them free.
I have a hard-earned Ph.D. in a scientific discipline. To receive such a degree, one needs to make a real contribution to science. Typically, the results of such Ph.D. research are published as one or more peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals, which in turn are cited in later papers by others. The Ph.D. dissertation itself may also be cited.
As a a Ph.D., I RESENT pseudo-scholars in Victim Studies “disciplines”, and in deconstructionist/postmodern/Frankfort School versions of the humanities and social sciences, who get to put the same three letters—”Ph.D.” after their names. All these “disciplines” (which typically are at least in part based on Marxism) are WORTHLESS, if not poison!!!!
Fortunately, the vast majority of “Ph.D.” dissertations derived from these worthless, meaningless studies just gather dust in some university library. If any papers are published from them, they are in self-congratulatory “journals” that no one bothers to read.
Unfortunately, some Ph.D. graduates of these “disciplines” may get jobs in academia, where they can indoctrinate the young. Others may become political operatives, or even end up as czars in the obama Administration. Phooey to them!!!!
Somethin’ about that girl. I really like her look. Wonder if she’d wanna marry me?
As long as the powers-that-be flinch every time someone dares to speak (or write) the truth and then gives in to the PC crowd by silencing that voice, we will continue down that long and winding road to perdition.
Kudos, Naomi, for having the courage to speak the truth and shame on you at the so-called Chronicle of Higher Education for having such a wide yellow streak down your collective backs.
If the proponents of Black Studies really had a probative case for the program as an academic discipline, they would debate or refute her article, instead of just demanding she be fired.
Maybe she shouldn't have called it claptrap. I would have said flapdoodle, or codswallop, or even taradiddle.
Was that why she was fired?
When I applied to graduate from Cleveland State University 35 years ago I was rejected because I hadn’t taken an “Urban Studies “ course. Was able to sign up for legendary pianist Bill Gidney’s “ History of Jazz” and due to a great tip from one of my friends, got an A in the course. Word was that if on your final essay exam you wrote that all of the great Jazz artists died of artistic frustration , you received an A. If you said they had died of a drug overdose then the best grade you could get was a C.
Strangely, I really enjoyed the class despite the fact I really don’t like jazz. Four or five guys playing their own song at the same time.
Remember that Ph.D. is a Doctorate of Philosophy and specifically regards the holder’s ability to teach the discipline. Doctor is the Latin equivalence of “to teach.”
That being said, please understand that I do NOT begrudge your hard work and wholeheartedly agree with your assessment that these degrees are usually garbage. Hard sciences, maths, and traditional humanities graduate studies (i.e. English) are difficult to ascend into without firm understanding of subject matter and a desire to continue.
I finished my Master’s degree in English and despite being prodded by my thesis advisor to go for a Ph.D., I felt there was nothing substantive that I could add to the extant body of knowledge. I believe that’s the problem with graduate studies programs these days: students are encouraged to stay on presumably so the university continues to make money. Meanwhile, students are turning out absolute garbage for theses and dissertations.
Liberals hate the truth like a vampire hates the sun.
Very, very cute. You’ll make a fine couple, Laz. Can I put you two into the Bridal Registery, yet?
‘If these young scholars are the future of the discipline, I think they can just as well leave their calendars at 1963 and let some legitimate scholars find solutions to the problems of blacks in America. Solutions that don’t begin and end with blame the white man.’
In today's world the truth doesn't set you free - it get you fired. Too bad - the black community could use a little honesty. Black studies? Yep, ‘left-wing victimization claptrap’.
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