Should colleges teach with a political agenda?

[clenz]

I am a fairly conservative person, and I like school. However, I am finding that many of my professors are trying to push a liberal agenda at me and call it an education. I have a problem with this, sadly most of the oblivious people at UNI have no idea this is happening. This isn't all profs, by any means, and they aren't all liberal either. I have a problem with a teacher pushing any kind of agenda on me, be it liberal, green, conservative, Christian, Islam, etc...


Should colleges allow professors to push these agenda's or should a class be tought in a nuetral setting allowing the students to make their own decisions on the subject?

[dbackjon]

We all have personal agendas, and it is some times hard to separate that from what we say. We all look at ideas/items through our own personal filter.


But yes, Public Universities should be as neutral as possible.

[Col Hogan]

Until you can develop some sort of robotic teacher, programmed with software to remove all bias, you will get an agenda...

The problem, which you point out clearly, is that lots of folks don't even realize the agenda is there...they take what they are given, with no critical thought, as the truth...

So we can say we don't want an agenda, but it's nearly impossible to remove...

[D1B]

Challenge your professor, openly, during lecture. You will figure out your answer.

[clenz]

We all have personal agendas, and it is some times hard to separate that from what we say. We all look at ideas/items through our own personal filter.


But yes, Public Universities should be as neutral as possible.

What brought this on for me is the Social Welfare class I am in. This prof is pushing Michael Moore films at us every week, telling us that Michael Moore is a great person, blah blah blah. We are also talking about how global warming...cough cough...has affect and oppresed the poor and minorities. She made us watch "An Inconvient Truth" and write a relection paper on it. Well I told her how I really felt, added my own sources on the subject, so on and so forth and I got a F on the paper. When I asked her why her explination was I was using invalid sources because they all had a conservative leaning agenda to them. I will be protesting this grade to the head of the Social Work department

[clenz]

Challenge your professor, openly, during lecture. You will figure out your answer.

I have been challenging many of my professors, especially this one. She seems to believe that the white, middle class and upper class, protestant males are to blame for all of the worlds problems. The only way to fix them is to take their money and give it to the poor black people al over the world and all sorts of crap like that. I get in a "fight" with this twat every single week.

[D1B]

We all have personal agendas, and it is some times hard to separate that from what we say. We all look at ideas/items through our own personal filter.


But yes, Public Universities should be as neutral as possible.

What brought this on for me is the Social Welfare class I am in. This prof is pushing Michael Moore films at us every week, telling us that Michael Moore is a great person, blah blah blah. We are also talking about how global warming...cough cough...has affect and oppresed the poor and minorities. She made us watch "An Inconvient Truth" and write a relection paper on it. Well I told her how I really felt, added my own sources on the subject, so on and so forth and I got a F on the paper. When I asked her why her explination was I was using invalid sources because they all had a conservative leaning agenda to them. I will be protesting this grade to the head of the Social Work department

Scan your paper and post it here. As your lawyer, I will review and advise you how to proceed. Until then, don't talk to anyone unless you talk to me first.

[clenz]

What brought this on for me is the Social Welfare class I am in. This prof is pushing Michael Moore films at us every week, telling us that Michael Moore is a great person, blah blah blah. We are also talking about how global warming...cough cough...has affect and oppresed the poor and minorities. She made us watch "An Inconvient Truth" and write a relection paper on it. Well I told her how I really felt, added my own sources on the subject, so on and so forth and I got a F on the paper. When I asked her why her explination was I was using invalid sources because they all had a conservative leaning agenda to them. I will be protesting this grade to the head of the Social Work department

Scan your paper and post it here. As your lawyer, I will review and advise you how to proceed. Until then, don't talk to anyone unless you talk to me first.

It isn't that big of a deal, it was only a 20 point paper, I got 10 out of 20. All I'm going to do is talk to the head of the Social Work department, show him the syllabus where it says full credit will be given for turning the paper in as long as it meets length requirements, then show him my paper.

[dbackjon]

Sounds like you have a bitch of a teacher - probably needs to get laid.

I despise teachers like that.

You should expect an agenda in a class like Social Welfare - gonna be pretty far left to teach it, but that is no excuse for marking down a researched paper that happens to disagree with her.

Now if you had quoted Rush or Hannity - then you deserve zero points.

[clenz]

Sounds like you have a bitch of a teacher - probably needs to get laid.

I despise teachers like that.

You should expect an agenda in a class like Social Welfare - gonna be pretty far left to teach it, but that is no excuse for marking down a researched paper that happens to disagree with her.

Now if you had quoted Rush or Hannity - then you deserve zero points.

I went with Glenn Beck...which is so much better...

[Beef]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

[clenz]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

Exactly....


The fcking commercial with the elementry kids signing about Obama pisses me off.

[Biff]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

I think your example is why you talk politics with your kids. But you have to be careful not to influence there thoughts, but teach them to come to there own conclusions. WHICH IS TOUGH. But, at least they don't start believing whatever the teacher says.

Albeit, I think 2nd graders are too young to be talking politics.

[Appaholic]

We all have personal agendas, and it is some times hard to separate that from what we say. We all look at ideas/items through our own personal filter.


But yes, Public Universities should be as neutral as possible.

What brought this on for me is the Social Welfare class I am in. This prof is pushing Michael Moore films at us every week, telling us that Michael Moore is a great person, blah blah blah. We are also talking about how global warming...cough cough...has affect and oppresed the poor and minorities. She made us watch "An Inconvient Truth" and write a relection paper on it. Well I told her how I really felt, added my own sources on the subject, so on and so forth and I got a F on the paper. When I asked her why her explination was I was using invalid sources because they all had a conservative leaning agenda to them. I will be protesting this grade to the head of the Social Work department

That's fokking bullsh!t....example A of why the average American citizen does not relate to the ultra-left anymore than the ultra-right....it's sad really, that the extremes on both sides can't seem to realize all they are doing is screaming at a mirror.....

[UNI88]

I am a fairly conservative person, and I like school. However, I am finding that many of my professors are trying to push a liberal agenda at me and call it an education. I have a problem with this, sadly most of the oblivious people at UNI have no idea this is happening. This isn't all profs, by any means, and they aren't all liberal either. I have a problem with a teacher pushing any kind of agenda on me, be it liberal, green, conservative, Christian, Islam, etc...


Should colleges allow professors to push these agenda's or should a class be tought in a nuetral setting allowing the students to make their own decisions on the subject?

I think this would be a natural extension of the fairness doctrine. In order to present a fair and balanced approach, schools receiving public funds should be required to hire equal numbers of liberal and conservative teachers/professors.

Honestly, teachers should have their own opinions and should be able to express them. But they should also present alternative perspectives in a neutral manner and let the students learn from them and decide for themselves how to think. To simply present your own perspective as the truth isn't educating, it's indoctrinating. And they shouldn't let their personal opinions bias how they assign grades.

[D1B]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

I think your example is why you talk politics with your kids. But you have to be careful not to influence there thoughts, but teach them to come to there own conclusions. WHICH IS TOUGH. But, at least they don't start believing whatever the teacher says.

Albeit, I think 2nd graders are too young to be talking politics.

Yes, and parents/teachers shouldn't be brainwashing their kids on religion either.

[UNI88]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

My 4th grader came home from school talking about Obama and I was happy that he was interested in what was happening in the country and who was running for POTUS. I used it as an opportunity to talk to him about why he liked Obama and didn't like McCain. I didn't discourage his admiration for Obama but asked him questions to make him think about it and be able to justify it. I also made sure that he understood that McCain is a patriot who has served his country and earned respect. As the Obama administration continues, I plan to talk to him about where he has been successful and where he hasn't so that my son will understand that politicians can't do everything they promise. I want to teach him to think not how to think.

My 2nd grader also talked about Obama but I think it was premature to have a similar discussion.

[Grizalltheway]

How about teachers pushing agendas on 2nd graders? Not that they have a vote or anything, but it really chapped my arse when my girl would come home during the election season spouting off about how wonderful Obama/Clinton are. My wife and I never talked politics around her and we knew the source was school. I would have been just as pissed as if she came home gleaming about McCain, I just don't think it's appropriate for teachers to be pushing their agendas on students....

My 4th grader came home from school talking about Obama and I was happy that he was interested in what was happening in the country and who was running for POTUS. I used it as an opportunity to talk to him about why he liked Obama and didn't like McCain. I didn't discourage his admiration for Obama but asked him questions to make him think about it and be able to justify it. I also made sure that he understood that McCain is a patriot who has served his country and earned respect. As the Obama administration continues, I plan to talk to him about where he has been successful and where he hasn't so that my son will understand that politicians can't do everything they promise. I want to teach him to think not how to think.

My 2nd grader also talked about Obama but I think it was premature to have a similar discussion.

Very cool, 88. I knew too many kids growing up who just regurgitated what their parents had indoctrinated them with, on both sides of the political spectrum.

[Cap'n Cat]

Man, clenz, I'm glad I ran into all of my liberal professors who, not pushing an agenda, simply challenged stupid shit that was beat into my head in a conservative family, such as religion, the infallibility of the Republican Party and the sainthood of Ronald Reagan. It's not a liberal agenda, it's what you never heard at home or in high school. Make a choice, but mewling as you're doing here makes you look like a fvcking puss, bless your little heart, of course. Transfer to Bob Jones or Oral Roberts.

[clenz]

Man, clenz, I'm glad I ran into all of my liberal professors who, not pushing an agenda, simply challenged stupid shit that was beat into my head in a conservative family, such as religion, the infallibility of the Republican Party and the sainthood of Ronald Reagan. It's not a liberal agenda, it's what you never heard at home or in high school. Make a choice, but mewling as you're doing here makes you look like a fvcking puss, bless your little heart, of course. Transfer to Bob Jones or Oral Roberts.

This has nothing to do with challenging what I was taught growing up. Sadly you can't tell me I'm wrong on this. Getting an F for using a source that didn't fit with what he wanted if fucking bullshit, but exactly what I would expect from a fucking nutbag liberal...as well as a fucking nutbag conservative. If you would read the some other posts you would see I am not a Republican, and shed that bull shit long ago.

There is a reason I haven't been to a church in 3 years, I'm figuring out what I believe there. There is a reason I voted for someone not on the ballot this past election. There is a reason I've changed my registration in Iowa from Republican. I stopped listening to Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hanity etc...


I'm sorry I'm not willing to put up with a fucking F from a dumbass librial fuck head of a professor because I used a conservative source. That's bull shit and you know it. You would tell me to fight it like crazy if a conservative had failed me for using a liberal source because conservatives are just crazy fuck heads. Really, the major political parties are exactly the same fucking thing. If they really wanted all this change they talk about it would have fucking happened by now. Obama and his posse have a majority in congress, they can push whatever change bull shit through they wanted. Here is the thing, they don't want change. They want more power. They are going to pass bills that look great, but just give them more power in the end. I may be young and naive still at my age, but I'm not fucking stupid.

[hank scorpio]

Sounds like you have a bitch of a teacher - probably needs to get laid.

I despise teachers like that.

You should expect an agenda in a class like Social Welfare - gonna be pretty far left to teach it, but that is no excuse for marking down a researched paper that happens to disagree with her.

Now if you had quoted Rush or Hannity - then you deserve zero points.

I went with Glenn Beck...which is so much better...

So your counterpoint was a tv op/ed piece?

[Purple For Life]

I think it's entirely justified to talk to the head of the department. There's a couple of girls in some of my classes (grad school, mind you) that are quite obviously conservative, but they aren't getting anything deducted from what they are doing, and one of our profs is very obviously about as liberal as it gets.

The fine line to walk is to not impress personal views on people, but discuss them in a way to include everyone. It's Comm Studies, so that plays a part in that sort of mechanism.

But if you followed the parameters of the assignment, despite your view of it, then there's no reason you should have been docked.

I'm curious, you don't have to post here, but who was it?

[clenz]

I went with Glenn Beck...which is so much better...

So your counterpoint was a tv op/ed piece?

There wasn't really a counter point. I used a line or two from his book An Inconvenient Book. There was no need for me to actually inject any of the sources, as it wasn't required. She asked for a reflection...which i gave her.



And PFL the professor is Carol Gustafsen. I don't even think she is a UNI Prof. I'm pretty sure she works for the Waterloo Public Schools

[Biff]

I think your example is why you talk politics with your kids. But you have to be careful not to influence there thoughts, but teach them to come to there own conclusions. WHICH IS TOUGH. But, at least they don't start believing whatever the teacher says.

Albeit, I think 2nd graders are too young to be talking politics.

Yes, and parents/teachers shouldn't be brainwashing their kids on religion either.

You won't hear me argue you on that either. My parents did raise me as a christian in the Presbyterian church. However, once we (my brother and I) were old enough to choose our religious preference, they quit making us go to church. We quit for a while and have really redefined what our faith is. Looking back on it now, it has allowed us to have better tolerance and understanding of those that choose to disagree with us.

[travelinman67]

Man, clenz, I'm glad I ran into all of my liberal professors who, not pushing an agenda, simply challenged stupid shit that was beat into my head in a conservative family, such as religion, the infallibility of the Republican Party and the sainthood of Ronald Reagan. It's not a liberal agenda, it's what you never heard at home or in high school. Make a choice, but mewling as you're doing here makes you look like a fvcking puss, bless your little heart, of course. Transfer to Bob Jones or Oral Roberts.

Cap, it's not the education system's role to "undo" familial brainwashing. How about kids raised in ultra-liberal families. They're tons of kids out there who spew populist/socialist dogma stemming from being raised in an "entitlement" union family. I know quite a few of them. Point is, those professors may have opened your eyes to another view of the world, but, use of "deprogramming" methods is just as unethical as parental brainwashing.

A teacher's role SHOULD BE to teach fact, then initiate discussion and debate to entice the student into independent thought and study. That role SHOULD include playing devil's advocate to drive the student's curiousity and interest into critical (and honest) analysis.

Regurgitating political dogma is not teaching. Worse, basing grades upon the student's receptivity and "absorption" of that dogma is intellectually vulgar and unenlightened.

And it goes on every day, in every university in America. Clenz is observing that from a front row seat.

I'm sorry your parents told you stories about going blind from masturbation, and rotting in hell for failing to say your Hail Marys every day, but that's no reason to excuse sheer incompetence masquerading as education.