Duke students offended by reading assignment lol

Parents Forum
81

For certain definitions of liberal, at least—as a number of commentators have pointed out, higher education is, in some ways, among the most conservative of institutions we have.

Also, while there is some tendency for US academics to more likely identify with left-leaning sociopolitical positions, you might be surprised, given your statement, how many academics identify with right-leaning sociopolitical positions, and how many of them don’t really identify with either side. In fact, like most of us in this country, I’m pretty sure you’ll find that the majority lean left on some issues, right on others, and don’t really care about a lot of what other people get worked up about.

82

Duke did exactly that.

https://today.duke.edu/2015/08/studentsdpac

The Kite Runner was Duke’s summer reading for my freshman year, and Duke brought Khaled Hosseini to campus to discuss the book. A disturbing read, yes, but memorable and thought-provoking. I still have my autographed copy.

83

Why are you quoting “Christian believes”? I didn’t say that, maybe someone else did and I missed it though.

Should only Women’s Studies majors read stories with female protagonists who endure the trials and tribulations of being a woman, like Gone With the Wind or The Scarlet Letter? Why is mandatory reading about homosexuality “cramming it down everyone’s throat” but Night is not “cramming the Holocaust down everyone’s throat” and Dante’s Inferno is not “shoving Christianity and Hell down everyone’s throat” and The Red Badge of Courage is not “shoving war down everyone’s throat” and The House on Mango Street is not “cramming Latinos down everyone’s throat” and Gatsby is not “cramming heterosexuality and upper-class people down everybody’s throat?”

84

Wow. That is something I would have wanted to be a part of.

85

Duke is a poor choice for a student who wants to avoid things “of the devil.” :wink:

86

Just another vote here. Fun Home is a sophisticated, moving work of literature, and one of the works that is expanding the boundaries of what we call “literature.” Something like that happened when people began to write creative prose, which then turned into “novels” – which were the comic books of the 18th Century.

Bechdel is super-smart and articulate. She has won a MacArthur Fellowship and taught at the University of Chicago. Fun Home was made into a Broadway musical that essentially swept the Tony Awards this year.

It’s been years since I read it, so I don’t remember whether it has graphic nudity or not. It probably has some, but that’s not what’s memorable about the book. It’s a memoir about growing up gay and closeted with a gay and closeted, beloved father who ultimately commits suicide, perhaps in response to his daughter’s coming out. It’s a tough read, although often funny. It does have an agenda, in favor of honesty and compassion (recognizing that it’s not always possible to achieve both). And, implicitly, that Gay Lives Matter. But it’s nothing like gay rights agitprop. Everybody has secrets about themselves, and everyone has echos of their parents’ positive and negative qualities.

It’s completely worth reading. It doesn’t take long to read, which is probably one of its good points for Duke’s one-book program. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be assigned to college students at a secular liberal arts university. Honestly, if I were Dick Brodhead I would invite the students who don’t want to read this book not to matriculate at Duke. (And I would say the same about Huckleberry Finn, *Anna Karenina/i and The Wealth of Nations.)

87

My favorite thing about the author is her famous test of movies (The “Bechdel” test).

In order to pass a movie has to have …two women …who have names…who talk to each other… about something other than a man. Shocking number of movies do not pass this test!

88

Will they say that to their boss when given an assignment at work?

Wow. Unbelievably spoiled brats.

89

Maybe the professor can take a survey and only assign material that everyone 100% approves of.

90

^^ hate to break it to you, but college is not a democracy when it comes to who makes decisions about what is going to be taught or assigned.
Tenured Profs asking 18 year olds what they want to learn?? =))
phhffffff. …
Not going to happen…

91

Any student who has limitations based on a rigid belief system needs to attend a college that operates according to that same belief system.

And to the person who said upthread that Fun Home has no relevance to a business or STEM major . . . wow. I don’t even know where to begin. Anyone who goes to college solely to acquire job skills should perhaps reconsider and instead attend a vocational school. Duke provides a college education, not a job-training program.

^^^^This.

I didn’t read this entire thread, so I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but Fun Home was adapted for the stage and is running on Broadway. It was nominated for 12 Tony awards and won five, including the one for Best Musical. It was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. There is an 11-year-old actress in the show who gives a stunning performance portraying young Alison Bechdel. The show has broken box office records several times.

92

@cmsjmt : So reading a book on a subject your not familiar or comfortable with constitutes ‘indoctrinated?’

93

I am glad it was only recommended and not required. I think the students who had a problem with it were actually brave to speak up and share an opinion that is different from most academics. They probably knew most of their peers and teachers would chastise them and yet they chose to say they did not agree. I would think colleges would encourage differing opinions. My son is applying there and I have had emails and texts from people I know saying…did you see this. I think it is still OK to say you are a believer and you have a different view. It almost seems like saying you are a Christian is something looked down on. Wasn’t Duke started by Christians?

94

From what I understand, the student posted his objection and decision not to read the book due to what he understood to be graphic sexual depictions. I am not aware of anything else he objected to or if he said the book should never have been on the list.

I’m going to parse my comments based on that alone – not the subsequent conservative or liberal respondents.

I’m a devout but probably “liberal” Christian in a fairly conservative denomination. I fiercely defend LGBT issues while feeling 100% comfortable in my belief and practice of my faith. However, I also can 100% see myself or my kid in agreement with the Duke student’s initial objection.

If my kiddo said that she opted not to read a book in a recommended list due to what she perceived as gratuitous sexual nature, I would fully back her. (And yes, our television and movie watching choices are consistent with this as well.) It would seem that some respondents on this thread can’t fathom that amongst their fellows, people live like this and consciously avoid overt sexuality.

If a Hasidic Jew or a devout Muslim opted out, would there be as much backlash? Why is this Christian Duke student held to a different standard? Why is he labelled as potentially “close minded” but we make mental accommodations to the devout Jew, Muslim or Mennonite? The pejoratives on this thread: spoiled brats, coddled babies, punks – to me are over the top and ugly. Those of you who used these terms – would you say the devout Jew, Muslim or Mennonite rises to your “punk” description? Any Christian who objects to something in broader culture is not a Westboro Baptist church member.

From my understanding of the particular section of the graphic novel, it’s not cheap but tastefully presented and vital to the story; I would feel comfortable reading it. But would support my kiddo or another person from opting out and certainly not think less of them because of it.

All I’m saying is that a person can be extremely open minded – yet wish to avoid overt sexuality and nudity if given a choice. And I’d hope my fellow liberal/progressively minded people can understand that.

(EDIT: one final anecdote. My 12 year old asked about seeing the HBO movie “The Normal Heart” depicting the initial AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, starring Mark Ruffalo. I knew it was a heavy subject so I wanted to screen it first. One of the opening scenes has a goodly amount of flesh and some frontal nudity. I thought “whoa! this isn’t gonna be OK for my kid” and thought I’d just turn it off and be done with it. But I left it on and did some chores. Then the movie progressed to a very thoughtful reflection of a vivid time in my young adulthood when I witnessed this plague among many of my friends – I watched it fully and was glad I did. Subsequently, I told my kiddo she could watch it but it was very heavy and sad – and there was a gratuitous part in the opening scenes that she should avoid. As a dad, I’m proud my kiddo wants to learn about the human condition. I’m also unafraid to guide my kid on what I deem as gratuitously sexual.)

95

I think the objection is to the automatic dismissal, the not-even-considering-it-as-something-worthy, as opposed to reading it and then having a thoughtful discussion or advancing a point of view that is different from what the book is about. It’s the automatic “talk to the hand” that is bothersome.

I disagree with, let’s say, Glenn Beck or Ann Coulter, but if I were in a position where I were required to read a book written by them, I’d like to think I’d be able to read it and then carefully note my objections or arguments against the points of view being espoused.

You know, in history class, one can read “Mein Kampf” without actually agreeing with it.

96

There’s a big difference between reading something and agreeing with it. I’m an atheist but I’ve read large portions of the Bible as well as other religious works. They’re fascinating as literature and I would feel like a schmuck trying to debate religion without any real base of knowledge.

It seems to me the students refusing to read Fun Home are shooting themselves in the foot. How can they expect to be a meaningful part of the conversation if they haven’t read it? Is it really better to sit on the sidelines with their fingers in their ears as people espouse positions anathema to them? It would take a lot more bravery to read the book and join the discussion than to act like a petulant child.

Adding-cross posted with #95 and 96, who both made good points.

97

I think T26E4 makes a good point. I think many people have jumped to the conclusion that anybody who objected to reading this book was simply anti-gay. I think it’s certainly plausible that some people simply believe it’s wrong to view a depiction of sexuality or nudity. What would our reaction be if the suggested item was an R-rated movie that included sexuality, and some students had a moral or religious objection to viewing it for that reason?

I think it’s a different story if the item is related to specific curriculum. I wouldn’t have too much sympathy for a film studies student who refused to view any R-rated movies, or an art history major who wanted to be shielded from all nudes.

98

Unbelievable.

I can’t believe, literally can’t believe, anyone anywhere, including this thread, bashed Duke over this. I have a meeting in 4 minutes in a different building or I’d say a lot more but quickly …

It is recommended reading not required.

Duke assembled a committee of faculty, staff and students to select this list.

Cartoon nudity is not offense for God’s sakes people grow up!

99

Like I said, a person who is uncomfortable with depictions of sexuality and nudity does not necessarily equal anti-gay or close-minded. I feel many people have been quick to link the two. (Again, I qualify my comments w/o knowing the student’s full objections or the fullness of his views)

And @GoNoles85 I object to your saying my belief otherwise requires me to “grow up”. It’s an active choice I (and many others) make day to day. May I say as a “liberal” Christian, I find your view is actually very intolerant at worst or simplistic at best.

100

Responding to Hunt’s post…
There are images I don’t care for in writing and film and sometimes I skip them or close my eyes, but I still try to get a sense of the work containing them. I have hastily skimmed, or skipped sections of Brett Easton Ellis. I have closed my eyes for portions of the Aliens movies. Some of this stuff gives me nightmares, but I still want to know what it is about.