Cancelling Dr. Seuss

[ciao_yall]

My classes are full of moments that, taken out of context, would give the Fox News crowd several news cycles worth of entertainment.

It's about positing alternative points of view, whether or not the instructor agrees with these points of view.

It was a debate class. It's all about putting up counterarguments no matter what the student says.

SMDH.

[mahagonny]

My classes are full of moments that, taken out of context, would give the Fox News crowd several news cycles worth of entertainment.

It's about positing alternative points of view, whether or not the instructor agrees with these points of view.

It was a debate class. It's all about putting up counterarguments no matter what the student says.

SMDH.

Sure, that's how it ought to work. But do you intentionally put up shitty counterarguments to 'challenge' the student, like these ones? Or do you make sure there is something to them? Honestly curious.

'Salim says, "Yet, a lot of police officers have committed an atrocious crime and have gotten away with it and have never been convicted of any of it."
Ellis says, "This is what I believe. I do support our police. We have bad people, and the people that do bad things should be brought to justice. I agree with that."
The exchange continues, with Salim saying she has family members who are police officers, and asking if police officers belong on TV shows for children, alongside other kind of heroes. She also argues that modern policing has its roots in groups who tracked down runaway enslaved persons in South.
'
Many people have relatives who are police officers, and many academics have relatives that they can barely stand to hang out with a whole afternoon on Mothers' Day. So that's nothing.
As for the 'roots' argument I could use the same argument to claim that you should never listen to your doctor when he talks about tobacco use, since in decades past some physicians endorsed cigarette brands in commercials. Essentially a guilt by association smear. Which, BTW, describes a lot of what the 'antiracists' are doing.

[mahagonny]

More...https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/05/10/cypress-college-faces-threats-and-allegations-failing-be-antiracist

The prof's claim is that this exchange was during the Q and A after the student's presentation. I hope someone can confirm or deny that. Also, I'd like to see how the prof responded to other presentations, to see whether that degree of confrontation was unique to this student.

If the prof's actions were consistent with how all other students were treated, then it's different than if this one was singled out.

The prof should still be terminated for suggesting that you can't trust the police to protect you in the event of an intruder in your home or other threat. This endangers students.
Perhaps ironically, she's only an adjunct; whereas the loopy ideas she's espousing come mostly from the liberal tenured culture who would be solidly protected in her situation. 'So it goes' as Vonnegut might have said.

[mahagonny]

con't, example:

https://www.mediaite.com/news/msnbcs-eddie-glaude-says-to-prepare-for-the-reaction-of-the-police-after-chauvin-guilty-verdict/

[Wahoo Redux]

UNC Professor with "Incendiary" Social Media Post

Lawyers trolling for business?

[mahagonny]

Interesting hypothetical:

Professor I. M. Whiteguy has a date to begin antiracism training beginning around Fall 2021. He attends through all the sessions, reporting his self-identified white man status (cisgender, heterosexual, if it involves these) and passes with flying colors. Meanwhile he goes on social media in the evening ridiculing the whole affair, play by play, without naming the school. Protected speech or not?

[waterboy]

Certainly should be. Obnoxious speech is supposed to be protected.

[mahagonny]

Certainly should be. Obnoxious speech is supposed to be protected.

Of course. How else will the terminally offended keep themselves in condition?

[Wahoo Redux]

Faculty, we have met the enemy and it is us from the CHE magazine.

Another academic freedom issue.

[mahagonny]

Faculty, we have met the enemy and it is us from the CHE magazine.

Another academic freedom issue.

Even though the chronicle takes his side, they don't even bother to dispute that he was terminated legally? I thought tenure was hard to get because there are a lot of hoops to jump through. Keeping proper contact with your department chair during research leave is one of those hoops. So why should he get special allowances? All the chronicle argument alleges is that the university might have have had an ulterior motive in getting rid of him. Even if they did, that doesn't excuse him from doing his job.
He's even brazen enough to shake them down for a settlement to avoid publicity. Well, what should you expect from an 'antiracism work' scholar. One of the cool people.
https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2021/07/29/university-of-mississippi-reaches-settlement-agreement-with-former-history-professor/

[Wahoo Redux]

I have no profound thoughts on the matter...but I did point out that censorship, government or otherwise, works both ways.  We always imagine that we will shut down the bad people with their bad ideas by, essentially, frightening them into silence----and it can happen to us to.

This is paywalled I think.  From the CHE:

'Be Paranoid': Professors Who Teach About Race Approach the Fall With Anxiety
Will administrators stand behind faculty members told not to discuss 'divisive' topics?

[marshwiggle]

I have no profound thoughts on the matter...but I did point out that censorship, government or otherwise, works both ways.  We always imagine that we will shut down the bad people with their bad ideas by, essentially, frightening them into silence----and it can happen to us to.

This is paywalled I think.  From the CHE:

'Be Paranoid': Professors Who Teach About Race Approach the Fall With Anxiety
Will administrators stand behind faculty members told not to discuss 'divisive' topics?

In the current climate around race, is there any topic that isn't 'divisive'?

[mahagonny]

I have no profound thoughts on the matter...but I did point out that censorship, government or otherwise, works both ways.  We always imagine that we will shut down the bad people with their bad ideas by, essentially, frightening them into silence----and it can happen to us to.

This is paywalled I think.  From the CHE:

'Be Paranoid': Professors Who Teach About Race Approach the Fall With Anxiety
Will administrators stand behind faculty members told not to discuss 'divisive' topics?

But he's now at Yale. And being 'shut down' by a 'lesser' institution is a feather in his, and Yale's, hats, despite that he fucked up on following the simplest of rules, perhaps intentionally. And the fact that he picked up a nice booty by threatening a lawsuit (who's paying for that settlement? - let me take wild guess: parents and students who borrow money) will be seen as striking a blow for the cause of freedom, truth, and human progress. Such is the tenure track dynasty and its inability to see itself as anything other than eminently holy.
And BTW, higher ed already loves to shut down unpopular ideas. It's called 'dump the adjunct. He didn't kiss my ass properly.' That ship has sailed.

[mahagonny]

I have no profound thoughts on the matter...but I did point out that censorship, government or otherwise, works both ways.  We always imagine that we will shut down the bad people with their bad ideas by, essentially, frightening them into silence----and it can happen to us to.

This is paywalled I think.  From the CHE:

'Be Paranoid': Professors Who Teach About Race Approach the Fall With Anxiety
Will administrators stand behind faculty members told not to discuss 'divisive' topics?

In the current climate around race, is there any topic that isn't 'divisive'?

see PM

[mahagonny]

Another professor quits in protest to intolerant academia. Or maybe just to keep his own sanity.

https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/my-university-sacrificed-ideas-for