Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Academic 'Bill of Rights' or Government Censorship?

smooth · 02-14-2005, 06:56 PM

Lebell,

how do you reconcile your support for a bill that purports to protect unpopular speech/opinoins, and end your comments by pointing out that people like Ward Churchill should remain silent?

I haven't met any liberal professors who target their students, but I have to grade papers in an extremely conservative city. I drop points when their logic and/or writing is shaky, but not for political viewpoint. Students often confront me about whether I or the professor will please not take exception to their viewpoints. I never do on its ideological basis, but the sad fact is undergrad writing is shockingly horrific. If you all are so concerned with the grades students are pulling, take a peek at your kids' homework and actually teach them to read and write. A skillfully constructed sentence would be bonus. Most of us can't even grade grammar due to the fact that sentences are constructed so poorly and we don't have time. But I don't see a bill addressing those issues.

I don't object to the notion that professors are left-leaning in the social sciences. I read a recent article stipulating exatly that in the LA Times and: 1) attributed it to the different places conservatives will go to earn money, corporations (more, less ideologically motivated), and liberals will go (less, more ideologically motivated), education.

2) academia priviledges carefully constructed arguments and open-mindedness. Average "conservatives" don't value the first, instead eschewing things that appear to be ivory tower, and conservative ideology is opposed to openness by it's nature, instead seeking to maintain status-quo.

Those are the points of the article and anyone can dig it up if they'd like. It was written in an op-ed piece within a month ago.

02-14-2005, 06:56 PM	#30 (permalink)
smooth Junkie Location: Right here	Lebell, how do you reconcile your support for a bill that purports to protect unpopular speech/opinoins, and end your comments by pointing out that people like Ward Churchill should remain silent? I haven't met any liberal professors who target their students, but I have to grade papers in an extremely conservative city. I drop points when their logic and/or writing is shaky, but not for political viewpoint. Students often confront me about whether I or the professor will please not take exception to their viewpoints. I never do on its ideological basis, but the sad fact is undergrad writing is shockingly horrific. If you all are so concerned with the grades students are pulling, take a peek at your kids' homework and actually teach them to read and write. A skillfully constructed sentence would be bonus. Most of us can't even grade grammar due to the fact that sentences are constructed so poorly and we don't have time. But I don't see a bill addressing those issues. I don't object to the notion that professors are left-leaning in the social sciences. I read a recent article stipulating exatly that in the LA Times and: 1) attributed it to the different places conservatives will go to earn money, corporations (more, less ideologically motivated), and liberals will go (less, more ideologically motivated), education. 2) academia priviledges carefully constructed arguments and open-mindedness. Average "conservatives" don't value the first, instead eschewing things that appear to be ivory tower, and conservative ideology is opposed to openness by it's nature, instead seeking to maintain status-quo. Those are the points of the article and anyone can dig it up if they'd like. It was written in an op-ed piece within a month ago. __________________ "The theory of a free press is that truth will emerge from free discussion, not that it will be presented perfectly and instantly in any one account." -- Walter Lippmann "You measure democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists." -- Abbie Hoffman