College Professors Said To Be Harassing Conservative Students

New School?
The Wall Street Journal has an article saying that many conservative college students are claiming liberal professors are harassing them in the classroom. In a survey of students at 50 top U.S. universities and colleges, almost a third responded:

"On my campus, there are courses in which students feel they have to agree with the professor's political or social views in order to get a good grade."

At Yale University:

One student recounted an incident that occurred the day after the election: "My teacher came into class the day after the election proclaiming, 'That's it. This is the death of America.' The rest of the class was eager to agree, and twenty minutes of Bush-bashing ensued.

At one point, a student asked our teacher whether she [the teacher] should be so vocal, lest any students be conservatives. She [the teacher] then asked us whether any of us were Republicans. Naturally, no one volunteered that information, whereupon our teacher turned to the inquisitive student and said, 'See? No one in here would be stupid enough to vote for Bush.'"

Another Yalie declared, "Professors in Biology were extremely anti-religion and mocked it openly. Pro left-wing jokes anti/Bush jokes abound."

A third student from Yale said, "My Spanish teacher only presented readings against Bush's trade policy in Latin America....Also actively silenced people who disagreed with her."

When I was a StudentWonk, it was well known around my college campus that there were certain professors that you had better not disagree with in class. I can remember one world history professor that was firmly convinced that the Center of Evil in the world was Western Europe, and the Minions of Satan were white males of West European descent.

I recall when one female student had the audacity to disagree with professor "Blameman." After the professor had pointed out that Europe was responsible for slavery, and worldwide colonialism, this brave (or foolhardy) student pointed out that Europe was also responsible for Shakespeare, universal health care, and the first democratic/republican forms of government.

Professor "Blameman" would have none of it, using the "broken record technique" of returning to his point that Europe was responsible for slavery and colonialism.

An awkward pause ensued. After a few moments, the scene passed, and "Blameman" continued his lecture about the superiority of Gupta India over Europe.

After all these years, I still have not forgotten the episode. I can still picture the pretty young co-ed in my mind (she was of Romanian descent...beautiful black hair..) as she debated "Blameman."

I have also not forgotten that I said or did nothing to support that student, even though at the time I knew she was right. I was more concerned about getting the "A" that I needed to help raise my grade point average...

I am now older, (if not wiser) and do speak my mind.... as anyone that knows me can attest.

To suffer injustice silently is to condone it.

Update: (PM) Joanne Jacobs has an outstanding post that addresses this very topic.