Is political indoctrination a problem in US colleges?

[Deleted]

One would expect that liberals be outraged by this, after all they oppose religious indoctrination or prayer in schools. So what about political indoctrination, or is it suddenly okay because it's not religious ideology?

It seems that yes it is a problem, based on some reports, including somtimes in fields such as computer science of all places. One would expect this to be impossible in the hard sciences, but it's actually easier than you might think. All it takes is for the liberal professor in question to take the last few minutes of his course to go completely off-topic and talk about his own politics and try to get students to go along with it.

Pretty scary stuff.

Here's another example, this is by Heather MacDonald, Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2014:

Until 2011, students majoring in English at UCLA had to take one course in Chaucer, two in Shakespeare, and one in Milton—the cornerstones of English literature. Following a revolt of the junior faculty, however, during which it was announced that Shakespeare was part of the “Empire,” UCLA junked these individual author requirements. It replaced them with a mandate that all English majors take a total of three courses in the following four areas: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Disability and Sexuality Studies; Imperial, Transnational, and Postcolonial Studies; genre studies, interdisciplinary studies, and critical theory; or creative writing.

In other words, the UCLA faculty was now officially indifferent to whether an English major had ever read a word of Chaucer, Milton or Shakespeare, but the department was determined to expose students, according to the course catalog, to “alternative rubrics of gender, sexuality, race, and class.”

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...64321265378790

Another example we find in NAS' (National Association of Scholars) report: http://www.nas.org/images/documents/...competence.pdf

…10 weeks of anti-capitalist, anti-globalization rhetoric. We were shown several
theories on globalization that portrayed Western civilization as almost demonic,
heartless, and ruthless beasts that enslave the world for financial gain. When I
asked whether there were other models of globalism…the professor threw an
angry glare my way and said there are no other models. She then added that
even if there were, it would be unconscionable to mention them when there
was so much oppression and exploitation going on….One of the questions
on the multiple choice final for the class asked: “What system is based on the
division and exploitation of classes?” The answer to the question was capitalism,
and in order to receive a good grade on the test I was forced to select that
answer although I did not agree.

Also:

How does a statement like “Nothing Saddam has done could be any worse
than what George Bush has done” find its way into a Computer Science
lecture??....In the past, Harvey’s students learned that California’s current
governor (Schwarzenegger) is a NAZI….Five minutes at both ends of the
lecture (but other times as well) was plenty of time for Harvey to take swipes at
conservative thinkers and ideas. I happened to be taking his class when the war
with Iraq began, and he would often announce anti-war rallies, and make silly
comments….the day after Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor, he
was particularly bitter about things, and made a remark to the effect of, “Aren’t
you embarrassed to tell your friends you live in California. We elected a NAZI
actor”.… Harvey can’t seem to leave his politics out of the CS classroom.

No comment necessary.

Also read:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...-dennis-prager
http://www.dennisprager.com/is-usc-a...-wing-seminary
http://townhall.com/columnists/danie...ties/page/full

[Kingoomieiii]

Let's see:
Wall Street Journal op-ed (right-wing level: 100)
National Association of Scholars:

The National Association of Scholars (NAS) is a non-profit organization in the United States that opposes multiculturalism and affirmative action and

That's_(literally, explicitly)_racist.jpg,
The National Review, which promotes itself to prospective donors by promising to "Oppose the Obama administration at every turn" (Literally, verbatim, I've taken that phone call and hung up on it),
Dennis Prager, conservative radio host and Christian Dominionist,
Townhall, a tea party blog who pays ridiculous hack Michelle Malkin actual money to do something other than "go away".

Given the pedigree of these sites, I don't believe any of their quotes for a second. By the way, anything following "In other words" is the author editorializing their source.

No (other) comment necessary.

[Cybran]

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...79501134392562

On Tuesday Dartmouth's finest seized the main administration building and disrupted college business. The squatters were allowed to remain until Thursday night, when the dean of the college negotiated and signed an exit settlement assuring them the non-dialogue would continue.

The demonstrators had a 72-point manifesto instructing the college to establish pre-set racial admission quotas and a mandatory ethnic studies curriculum for all students. Their other inspirations are for more "womyn or people of color" faculty; covering sex change operations on the college health plan ("we demand body and gender self-determination"); censoring the library catalog for offensive terms; and installing "gender-neutral bathrooms" in every campus facility, specifically including sports locker rooms.

Mr. Hanlon left after an hour and told the little tyrants that he welcomed a "conversation" about their ultimatums. They responded in a statement that conversations—to be clear, talking—will lead to "further physical and emotional violence enacted against us by the racist, classist, sexist, heterosexist, transphobic, xenophobic, and ableist structures at Dartmouth." They added: "Our bodies are already on the line, in danger, and under attack."

If that sounds more like Syria than Hanover, N.H., meet the resurgence of the anti-liberal campus left. The intellectual mentor of the protestors is a history professor named Russell Rickford, who calls Dartmouth "White Supremacy U." Hostile to free expression, open debate and due process, their politics of anger and resentment can't be pacified. Reality is not an admissable defense.

The people that attend such universities are already indoctrinated beyond repair.

[s_bushido]

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/e...ervatives.html

http://academeblog.org/2012/04/03/a-...n-of-scholars/
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr...ssors-20120407

See, us filthy libruls can post articles online too. Now go away.

[Deleted]

Let's see:
Wall Street Journal op-ed (right-wing level: 100)

That is called an ad hominem.

National Association of Scholars:

That's_(literally, explicitly)_racist.jpg,

Your only evidence that it is racist is this quote: "The National Association of Scholars (NAS) is a non-profit organization in the United States that opposes multiculturalism and affirmative action and"

First of all, affirmative action is arguably a racist policy because it institutionalizes different people differently based on race with preferential treatment for minorities.
Second, multiculturalism deals with culture, not race. However, even opposing multiculturalism does not necessarily imply hating other cultures. Many for example propose "e pluribus unum" as the alternative: out of many ONE (one American culture in this case). It is actually quite an inclusive concept.

The National Review, which promotes itself to prospective donors by promising to "Oppose the Obama administration at every turn" (Literally, verbatim, I've taken that phone call and hung up on it),

And?

Dennis Prager, conservative radio host and Christian Dominionist,

Dennis Prager is a Jew. He's not even Christian let alone a Christian Dominionist, and he often speaks of the need for a small secular government (though not secular culture, but that's a different topic).

*sigh*

[OneSent]

Sounds very likely to me.

After all, they've had a good 12 years of exposure to indoctrination when they attended grade school, middle school and high school. By the time they attend college, their minds are just putty in the hands.

[Gheld]

College students are adults that can make their own decisions and should by that point in their lives have acquired the critical thinking skills in order to contextualize what they hear without mommy and daddy's help.

So if mommy and daddy taught their kids a load of diarrhoea about homosexuality causing earthquakes and AIDS and that America is a god blessed nation with the divine right to station troops in foreign countries against the popular vote of the people of those countries, naturally some time around that age they will start adopting more liberal views on the topic.

TLDR Working as intended.

[Itisamuh]

Well that was depressing to read. The answer is obviously yes, based on that. Unsurprising to find it was the liberals being invasive, as usual.

[Raeph]

From my experience with such settings it seems that the higher learning environment has two goals built into the system; firstly to teach the subject matter, and second to help the student to develop a worldview that gives that subject matter relevance to them specifically.

The first is obvious, the second though seems to fall into two categories, with either the student assuming the worldview offered by the professor, or crafting their own in response to the worldview offered by the professor.

From the article it sounds like there are students who took a class, didn't agree with the professor, and didn't know how to fully articulate their own worldview and were crushed as they floundered. Solution: if you don't agree with someone learn how to articulate your own worldview intelligently, rather than just yelling "I don't agree with you!!!" and start whining.

[Deleted]

College students are adults that can make their own decisions and should by that point in their lives have acquired the critical thinking skills in order to contextualize what they hear without mommy and daddy's help.

So if mommy and daddy taught their kids a load of diarrhoea about homosexuality causing earthquakes and AIDS and that America is a god blessed nation with the divine right to station troops in foreign countries against the popular vote of the people of those countries, naturally some time around that age they will start adopting more liberal views on the topic.

TLDR Working as intended.

This doesn't really relate to anything I posted. Should a college be indifferent if an English major never read Chaucer, Milton or Shakespeare?

This all betrays a hidden agenda to dismantle English and American cultures. Exactly what ex-KGB informer and defector from the USSR Yuri Bezmenov warned us about in the 80's. To change the perception of reality such that nobody is willing to defend their culture. This leaves a nation demoralized, confused and weakened and unwillingly to defend itself anymore. We already see this weakness in relation with Russia (see the recent Ukraine fiasco thanks to weak foreign policy), Iran (nuclear issues), Egypt (Obama supporting the Muslim Brotherhood even as many Egyptian themselves revolted against them) and others.

[Deleted]

There is a difference between expressing political/religious views to students of 18+ and forcing children to listen to religious ignorance.

But to be honest, I had religous lessons in primary schools, but even at the age of 8-10 I kinda didn't believe all that bull.. thanks to my secular upbringing (meaning my parents said: "we are not sure either, figure it out for yourself").

[Gheld]

This doesn't really relate to anything I posted. Should a college be indifferent if an English major never read Chaucer, Milton or Shakespeare?

College/university/etc are supposed to be about being on the cutting edge of information.

Shakespeare isn't the cutting edge. It's the dull hilt remaining from what was once a blade but has been put through the grinding stone far too many times.

...hidden agenda ... dismantle ...American cultures... KGB ... USSR ... Russia ... Iran ... nuclear ... Obama ... the Muslim Brotherhood

LOL.

[Deleted]

College/university/etc are supposed to be about being on the cutting edge of information.

Shakespeare isn't the cutting edge. It's the dull hilt remaining from what was once a blade but has been put through the grinding stone far too many times.

LOL.

I kinda tought you made that quote, untill I read his post, kinda made me laugh, also sad, very sad :/

[Gheld]

I kinda tought you made that quote, untill I read his post, kinda made me laugh, also sad, very sad :/

What's fucking frightening is there's people who believe all that shit who are vying for control over the world's most powerful military.

[Deleted]

College/university/etc are supposed to be about being on the cutting edge of information.

Shakespeare isn't the cutting edge. It's the dull hilt remaining from what was once a blade but has been put through the grinding stone far too many times.

Seriously? An English major should not be exposed to some of the greatest English writers and gain a mastery of the subtleties of the English language? WHAT???

LOL.

Why? Don't laugh. Human nature is capable of a lot of evil things. I mean you can go on pretending that Russia is a benevolent and functional democracy and the Muslim Brotherhood are moderates seeking peaceful democratic governance and have no intention whatsoever to destroy western civilization from within and sabotage its miserable house (their words not mine) and Iran having nukes is not a problem and that nobody would ever attempt to ideologically subvert your country's values, but that's not how the world works.

To quote Sun-Tzu an ancient Chinese military strategist:

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.


[Infracted]

[Deleted]

Why? Don't laugh. Human nature is capable of a lot of evil things. I mean you can go on pretending that Russia is a benevolent and functional democracy and the Muslim Brotherhood are moderates seeking peaceful democratic governance and have no intention whatsoever to destroy western civilization from within and sabotage its miserable house (their words not mine) and Iran having nukes is not a problem and that nobody would ever attempt to ideologically subvert your country's values, but that's not how the world works.

The Muslim Brotherhood got elected, don't like it? Better luck next election. I am very opposed to everything the Muslim Brotherhood stands for but they were elected, that's democracy.

[Gheld]

Seriously? An English major should not be exposed to some of the greatest English writers and gain a mastery of the subtleties of the English language? WHAT???

Please show me on this Shakespeare doll where the greatness is. Because frankly it just seems like a bunch of shallow drivel to me. If you're going to talk about great English writers and put Shakespeare on that list, then I really can't take you seriously. "It's old, therefore it's good." No it's fucking not. Just like they threw the medieval science text books in the trash, so too should the medieval English text books go.

Frankly if I had children I'd much rather them be more familiar with Dickens, or Stevenson, than with Shakespeare.

Why? Don't laugh. Human nature is capable of a lot of evil things. I mean you can go on pretending that Russia is a benevolent and functional democracy and the Muslim Brotherhood are moderates seeking peaceful democratic governance and have no intention whatsoever to destroy western civilization from within and sabotage its miserable house (their words not mine) and Iran having nukes is not a problem and that nobody would ever attempt to ideologically subvert your country's values, but that's not how the world works.

Whoever indoctrinated you, and people like you, with all of these violent and paranoid fantasies, must have been evil.

[cityguy193]

Its hilarious that you realized that your political party isnt a part of higher education.

And no, there isnt really any bias, as the person a few posts above me posted articles contrary to what you said. College people are taking up liberal views on their own, because they see GOP views as pure bullshit.

Racism, sexism and whatever ideas your own sources said, seriously you listed an organization completely against multiculturalism?, have no place in the future and will die with you.

It shouldnt be a liberal idea to not act like an asshole.

[Deleted]

The Muslim Brotherhood got elected, don't like it? Better luck next election. I am very opposed to everything the Muslim Brotherhood stands for but they were elected, that's democracy.

So were the Nazis.

There's a point where if you go too far you're done, election or no election.

[Deleted]

So were the Nazis.

There's a point where if you go too far you're done, election or no election.

A. Godwinned. A much more hilarious reply would've been Stalin but w/e, same principle that make you wrong. Again.

B. Nazi's then took the approach of seizing total control meaning they couldn't be voted out, Muslim Brotherhood haven't done that as far as I'm aware, that's the difference between disliking a democracy and there actually being a dictatorship.