Huckleberries Online

NIC: Save Your Politics & Teach Me

Dec. 11, 2009 5:52 p.m. • 35 comments

Being an ignorant homeschooled kid, I used to think that art classes and political science classes were two distinct things. This semester showed me the error in my thinking. So many instructors spend their lecture time expounding their personal political philosophies that I’m beginning to think that a designated political science class just isn’t necessary. I would guess that I lose about an hour of class time every week listening to one instructor or another harp on social equality, racism, feminism, commercialism or whatever. Even if these random sermons weren’t just rehashing the same old bologna, I wouldn’t be interested. I don’t want to hear the Bush’s mishandling of the Katrina disaster from my anthropology instructor/Connor DeVries, NIC Sentinel. More here.

Question: How free should college instructors be to mix personal politics into their classroom teaching?

35 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Phaedrus on December 11 at 6:06 p.m.
Obviously Connor didn’t go to college to expand his horizons and challenge his thinking. Maybe he should consider trade school.
idawa on December 11 at 6:45 p.m.
isn’t anthropology - the comparative study of humans, their interaction with each other, and their environment an appropriate place for a discussion of Katrina? Just saying…
bpoole on December 11 at 7:29 p.m.
Taking college level classes is not high school my friend, you should be prepared to get an opinion from your professors that may not be what you expected of the class or of the professors. As I have studied psychology, I have seen the diverse opinions and off topic discussions that are encompassed on a college campus, let lose and dive into the discussion. Think critically and develop your opinion relative to the discussion. To answer the question, they should be as free as necessary to develop a discussion that enhances the ability for the students to learn.
hmoffsuite on December 11 at 7:37 p.m.
I’m in complete disagreement, bpoole. Teachers should teach the subject matter the student is paying to learn. Not personal ideologies that have nothing to do with the subject matter.
Charlie on December 11 at 7:47 p.m.
Instructors should teach the subject they are being paid to teach, chemistry, math, physics, etc. There are enough electives that are ripe for discussions. Since the student is paying to go to school, they should get their moneys worth.
Phaedrus on December 11 at 8:01 p.m.
Not surprising that a couple of our resident conservatives are not in favor of developing critical thinking skills.
bpoole on December 11 at 8:08 p.m.
hmoffsuite and charlie, I respect your opinions. The reason colleges are what they are is because of the non-traditional learning styles that some are given in high schools. Which in turn, affects the way a young person is than able to think critically and “out of the box” that so many are stuck in when in high school. We should expect teachers to teach the subject that is intended, but without incorporating other ideas or ways to relate that information, it becomes pointless. We live in a world with real problems and those that can think out of the “box” will be the ones who solve those problems.
Joker on December 11 at 8:11 p.m.
Professors who spend a lots of time expressing their personal beliefs are the best. Why? It makes it easier to get a higher grade if you smile and nod your head. Their exams are easier, less homework. You get the idea. Just keep your mouth shut if you don’t agree with them, better yet encourage them to talk. Even better than that disagree with and then let them (wink) convince you they are right. Say something like, “I never thought of it that way.”
You will improve your grade for sure. Go from a B to an A by letting them feel good about converting the uninformed minds of tomorrow.
Charlie on December 11 at 9:33 p.m.
bpoole, the point and it’s relatively simple is that if I’m taking a course on say welding and the instructor talks about say cooking, did I get what I paid for. Why of course not. I’m all for discussions that are spirited but they must be of value to the subject. Some of the courses I took sometimes went off track at times.
bcnqrgd on December 11 at 9:57 p.m.
Well, Charlie has certainly done a good job of making the point that non-critical thinkers should be in trade schools…
Bigguy on December 12 at 8:03 a.m.
Conner:

The next time your instructor goes off subject, why not raise your hand and ask him/her what this has to do with whatever you are supposed to be learning. You might stumble into some interesting discussions and broaden your outlook (or, the professor might get back to teaching you and your classmates what you are all paying for).
Phaedrus on December 12 at 9:04 a.m.
if I’m taking a course on say welding and the instructor talks about say cooking, did I get what I paid for.

if you are taking welding and cooking courses you are not in college.
bpoole on December 12 at 10:57 a.m.
your in trade school.
Don_Sausser on December 12 at 11:11 a.m.
Sorry Phaedrus, welding is a North Idaho College (emphasis on College) course.

What other courses at North Idaho College have you proclaimed from your elitest perch to not be a college course?
Arch_Druid on December 12 at 11:28 a.m.
Sausser, Phaedrus wasn’t foaming at the mouth from an elitist perch but rather agreeing with Nic. Welding and cooking classes are not in fact college courses, they are in fact specialized trade school classes. You may get at most an associates degree from such classes and a job in construction (welding) or a job in a restaurant (cooking).

However, if the instructor kept pushing politics instead of keeping the class informed on the best way of preparing Cordon Bleu, then no, you wouldn’t get what you paid for.
Don_Sausser on December 12 at 4:34 p.m.
Thanks Arch. Even elitist need plumbing, machining etc. But his statement is untrue, “if you are taking welding and cooking courses you are not in college.” You certainly are at NIC. Those are included in the college’s mission statement as is the academic portion.
bpoole on December 12 at 4:42 p.m.
Welding and Cooking classes or Culinary Arts classes are technical prep classes.
mike_s on December 12 at 8:50 p.m.
Many art majors are excellent welders.
saraeanderson on December 13 at 12:09 p.m.
A while ago, I ran across this fantastic home ec textbook about the chemical principles that any cook relies on. It was pretty sophisticated, and made me sad that home ec, as a subject of study, got laughed off of campuses as a program entirely devoted to getting girls married, and then sucked into a black hole of domestic slave labor. WTFever.
ralphpbartholdt on December 13 at 3:53 p.m.
Phaedrus
Connor was an intern at the newspaper where I spent a lot of years showing journalism to a lot of interns. He was one of the brightest interns I had and I enjoyed his input in the newsroom and his insights.
His critical thinking skills are top notch, and his horizon is big and deep unlike his pockets.
The blather he talks about is the same stuff he can get from commentators on Fox, CNN or any sydicated columnist, not to mention a chair in a local barbershop, or something overheard at a coffee shop where speeches are part of the wallpaper.
Why should he pay college tuition to listen to someone else’s bunk?
His horizons and thinking, as the rest of ours, are expanded through curiosity, observation and experience.
A prof, no matter how egocentric, should always leave his/her prejudice and bias to the media sources that spawned it — where everyone else has access to it, if they want it.
Joker has a good point. If you want to coast, go with the flow.
Connor wants to learn and it looks as though he brings his b.s. compass to class along with his finished assignments.
Sounds like he’s on the right track.
Phaedrus on December 13 at 4:10 p.m.
ralph, okay. I guess my eyes tend to glaze over when reading yet another college student express his weariness at hearing opinions with which they disagree, especially when they use the word ‘I’ six times before you even get past the first paragraph. Is that what passes for journalism nowadays?
Phaedrus on December 13 at 4:13 p.m.
Don, if believing that there is a differnce between trade schools and colleges makes me an elitist, so be it.
Cindy_H on December 13 at 4:20 p.m.
Well said, Ralph. Couldn’t agree more.
hmoffsuite on December 13 at 4:25 p.m.
Phaedrus. “when reading yet another college student express his weariness at hearing opinions with which they disagree”

That really isn’t the issue. Differing opinions are fine if they are in the context of the subject matter. I was an econ major at WSU and had many profs that I didn’t agree with in their thinking. We would discusses and exchange viewpoints pertaining to econ theory etc, no problem. Many changed or formed my opinions to some degree. Another class where I would not necessarily agree was philosophy of religion. Conflicting views are a healthy thing, if done in the proper venue.
ralphpbartholdt on December 13 at 5:17 p.m.
Phaedr
I don’t know about on-the-spot journalism, but it certainly works as an editorial.
I think the only thing Connor disagreed with was the babble. He made some good points, credible and relevant.
You must love it, Phaedrus. It’s rhetoric. Socrates woulda been proud. In a 21st century way.
Phaedrus on December 13 at 5:41 p.m.
Conflicting views are a healthy thing, if done in the proper venue.

Agreed. I would think that discussing Katrina, out government’s response and its impact on people would be an interesting and relevant discussion in Anthropology.
Phaedrus on December 13 at 5:56 p.m.
You must love it, Phaedrus. It’s rhetoric. Socrates woulda been proud. In a 21st century way.

I do!
Nick_Adams on December 13 at 6:01 p.m.
It sounds like Conner only has a problem with the opinions he disagrees with. If it was more about professors staying “on topic” he’d have included some conservative “blather” he disagrees with.

Homeschooled, indeed.
ralphpbartholdt on December 13 at 6:05 p.m.
Phaedrus
Wait a minute. Plato. It was Plato who wrote you. My Classics instructor must have been giving us a lecture on Reagonomics that day.
ralphpbartholdt on December 13 at 8:16 p.m.
Nick
It’s Connor, not Conner, and the topic had nothing to do with politics.
Maybe there was no “conservative blather.”
?
There’s a hedline
Phaedrus on December 13 at 8:58 p.m.
ralph,

it’s headline, not hedline. ;-)
Phaedrus on December 13 at 8:59 p.m.
So many instructors spend their lecture time expounding their personal political philosophies–

ralph, how is it the topic had nothing to do with politics?
nic on December 14 at 8:53 a.m.
Charlie on December 11 at 9:33 p.m. “if I’m taking a course on say welding and the instructor talks about say cooking, did I get what I paid for. Why of course not.”

Horrible analogy there, charlie.

Cooking talk in a welding class = off topic
The government’s epic fail during Katrina in an anthropology class = relevant (of course it could be off topic if you ignor the definition of anthropology)

anthropology n. The scientific study of the origin, the behavior, and the physical, social, and cultural development of humans.
nic on December 14 at 8:56 a.m.
“His critical thinking skills are top notch”

Sure. It’s easy to be critical when you have an axe to grind.
Nick_Adams on December 14 at 2:24 p.m.
If Raph can’t see the politics in ConnOr’s rant, then it’s fairly easy to understand how he’d believe ConnOr has top-notch critical thinking skills.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.