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1/
Although my school has a reputation as being left-leaning there's wide diversity of viewpoints among students. Many committed centrists, libertarians, conservatives- with great diversity on the left too.
I've gradually learned to elicit thoughtful dialogue across difference.
Although my school has a reputation as being left-leaning there's wide diversity of viewpoints among students. Many committed centrists, libertarians, conservatives- with great diversity on the left too.
I've gradually learned to elicit thoughtful dialogue across difference.
2/
So many questions that divide us are *harder* on deep reflection than they appear on here. Just last week I heard a thoughtful defenses of the Electoral College and ensuring rural voices are heard. My students write reflections on a time class discussions change their minds--
So many questions that divide us are *harder* on deep reflection than they appear on here. Just last week I heard a thoughtful defenses of the Electoral College and ensuring rural voices are heard. My students write reflections on a time class discussions change their minds--
3/
These are a pleasure to read. One student reflected upon his realization that his smart, informed classmate was actually an undecided voter. Not the parody of an undecided voter, but a person who was still making a decision.
These are a pleasure to read. One student reflected upon his realization that his smart, informed classmate was actually an undecided voter. Not the parody of an undecided voter, but a person who was still making a decision.
4/
Living in bubbles and learning from our distanced Zoom rooms, it's hard to find genuine opportunities for thoughtful dialogue with someone different from oneself. But I've found that college- even a "liberal" school- offers more of those opportunities than most settings.
Living in bubbles and learning from our distanced Zoom rooms, it's hard to find genuine opportunities for thoughtful dialogue with someone different from oneself. But I've found that college- even a "liberal" school- offers more of those opportunities than most settings.
5/
I don't know whether any of my students believes the election was rigged. Nor do I know whether any of them believes it was not rigged but nonetheless supports efforts to overturn it. The semester is over and there's nothing left but grading; I'm unlikely to find out.
I don't know whether any of my students believes the election was rigged. Nor do I know whether any of them believes it was not rigged but nonetheless supports efforts to overturn it. The semester is over and there's nothing left but grading; I'm unlikely to find out.
6/
My job as their teacher isn't to find out. But what if I do? There's a strain of "intellectual diversity" that says if I express intolerance of a partisan view, that's an unacceptable threat to student freedom. But what if one party embraces a lie?
(This is not a drill)
My job as their teacher isn't to find out. But what if I do? There's a strain of "intellectual diversity" that says if I express intolerance of a partisan view, that's an unacceptable threat to student freedom. But what if one party embraces a lie?
(This is not a drill)
7/
When classes resume the Biden Administration will begin, but much of the country will believe it is illegitimate- spurred by the elected representatives of one party. Almost no college faculty will believe the election was rigged for Biden. Is this bias?
When classes resume the Biden Administration will begin, but much of the country will believe it is illegitimate- spurred by the elected representatives of one party. Almost no college faculty will believe the election was rigged for Biden. Is this bias?
8/
(Narrator: it is not bias).
I teach a class that explores threats to democratic participation- voter suppression, mass incarceration, prosecutorial discretion, to name a few. Will the commentariat expect me to include a section on whatever wrong Texas believes it suffered?
(Narrator: it is not bias).
I teach a class that explores threats to democratic participation- voter suppression, mass incarceration, prosecutorial discretion, to name a few. Will the commentariat expect me to include a section on whatever wrong Texas believes it suffered?
9/
And will attacks on higher ed as unduly/dangerously left-leaning persist while we're struggling in the wreckage of the shameful lie Texas placed before our highest Court and many elected representatives endorsed? I think they will.
And will attacks on higher ed as unduly/dangerously left-leaning persist while we're struggling in the wreckage of the shameful lie Texas placed before our highest Court and many elected representatives endorsed? I think they will.
10/
There are people who want to burn down one party, or burn down the two-party system. I'm not one of those people. I do believe America can work. I don't believe the chaos we're in now was inevitable.
There are people who want to burn down one party, or burn down the two-party system. I'm not one of those people. I do believe America can work. I don't believe the chaos we're in now was inevitable.
11/
I've seen enough of America to know that half of us believe in the policies that the GOP embraces. But since Trump, and pleasing Trump, has overridden any good-faith policy preference in the party it no longer seems right to talk about intellectual or political diversity.
I've seen enough of America to know that half of us believe in the policies that the GOP embraces. But since Trump, and pleasing Trump, has overridden any good-faith policy preference in the party it no longer seems right to talk about intellectual or political diversity.
12/
Rather, there is a broad spectrum of left-leaning policies loosely organized behind the Dem Party, and there is Trump allegiance. Trump allegiance *Trumps* the left-right framework. It sits outside of ordinary discussions of policy preference- wages, taxes, subsidies, etc.
Rather, there is a broad spectrum of left-leaning policies loosely organized behind the Dem Party, and there is Trump allegiance. Trump allegiance *Trumps* the left-right framework. It sits outside of ordinary discussions of policy preference- wages, taxes, subsidies, etc.
13/
And there's no getting around the fact that choosing Trump over, e.g.- free and fair elections; truth; federalism; public health; isn't a conservative position per se. But apparently it's a Republican one, at least for now.
And there's no getting around the fact that choosing Trump over, e.g.- free and fair elections; truth; federalism; public health; isn't a conservative position per se. But apparently it's a Republican one, at least for now.
14/
So when we talk about intellectual diversity in higher ed we need to define our terms. I encourage the commentariat not to attack professors for declining to respect a baseless lie. We can respect our students without becoming unmoored from truth.
Back to grading I go.//
So when we talk about intellectual diversity in higher ed we need to define our terms. I encourage the commentariat not to attack professors for declining to respect a baseless lie. We can respect our students without becoming unmoored from truth.
Back to grading I go.//
