Letter to the Editor: Justin Yost
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Opinions
The Young Conservatives of Texas is an organization I normally would not write in defense of, but with regards to the Professor Watch List, I find that I must. I am an extremely liberal person with regards to my political beliefs, but at the same time I find myself in favor of the true idea and spirit of the Professor Watch List.
The controversy over the Watch List has been the idea that professors are being singled out for holding a certain political belief and that this list will limit their abilities to have academic freedom. The goal of this list isn't to limit academic freedom. Students are paying a great deal of money to this university to be informed about the world around them. Part of that is to be exposed to ideas that they may not always agree with.
Professors should teach the classes in such a manner that students are not able to guess what the professor truly believes. The reason for this is very basic: students are there to learn, evaluate information and form their own opinions.
Thus a problem was observed among students where professors, rather than upholding this standard in classes, were both berating students for holding a certain political opinion and introducing political beliefs in classes where there is no reason for them.
On Feb. 15, this paper published a column from Michael Borshuk in which he discussed how he has spoken favorably of Canada's health care system. Yet, he is an English professor. What does Canada's health care system have to do with English?
This is the heart of the problem and what the Professor Watch List hopes to resolve: professors discussing political beliefs in classes where they don't belong and attacking students for holding a political belief.
The controversy over the Watch List has been the idea that professors are being singled out for holding a certain political belief and that this list will limit their abilities to have academic freedom. The goal of this list isn't to limit academic freedom. Students are paying a great deal of money to this university to be informed about the world around them. Part of that is to be exposed to ideas that they may not always agree with.
Professors should teach the classes in such a manner that students are not able to guess what the professor truly believes. The reason for this is very basic: students are there to learn, evaluate information and form their own opinions.
Thus a problem was observed among students where professors, rather than upholding this standard in classes, were both berating students for holding a certain political opinion and introducing political beliefs in classes where there is no reason for them.
On Feb. 15, this paper published a column from Michael Borshuk in which he discussed how he has spoken favorably of Canada's health care system. Yet, he is an English professor. What does Canada's health care system have to do with English?
This is the heart of the problem and what the Professor Watch List hopes to resolve: professors discussing political beliefs in classes where they don't belong and attacking students for holding a political belief.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
PM
posted 2/20/08 @ 3:00 AM CST
Very well put. The best explanation I've heard. Thank you Mr.Yost.
Chad DeArman
posted 2/20/08 @ 9:33 AM CST
lame
Mark Williamson
posted 2/20/08 @ 9:47 AM CST
Amen to that!
Mark Williamson
posted 2/20/08 @ 9:49 AM CST
(The Amen is in response to Justin's letter, not Chad's comment.)
James Starling
posted 2/22/08 @ 2:17 AM CST
I see your main point, a classroom should be a place where ideas can be exchanged between students, professors, and the authors of texts. However, I strongly disagree with the premise that an English professor has no place discusssing a topic that does not directly relate to his or her field. (Continued…)
Jaime
posted 2/22/08 @ 10:10 AM CST
I have to agree with James Starling. While Canadian healthcare may not directly relate to the subject of English, how do you know the context in which it was spoken about? How do you know that a book they were reading didn't discuss health care?
In my Intro to Fiction class my professor injected a lot of political and historical information into the class. (Continued…)
George Gant
posted 2/22/08 @ 10:41 AM CST
The whole concept of a Black List is so Un-American. Fascist, yes. Communist, yes. McCarthyist, yes. Apparently Young Conservative Storm Troopers too. (Continued…)
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