Should any parent with a kid who could possibly be taught by such a nutcase not be worried? Does that school not show concerns for the mental stability of its staff?
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=34465
It looks like she teaches at Penn State Abingdon. She’s got good ratings. She gives out free pizza and easy A’s. Sounds like my children’s preschool teachers.
She sounds mentally ill in this interview:
http://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/03/17/karen-halnon-penn-state-abington-smoking-on-plane-venezuela/#disqus_thread
Penn State has some public relations issues to address!
In the article: The Miami New Times identified the woman as 52-year-old Karen Halnon, an associate professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University-Abington.
Barring a mental health breakdown (even more unfortunate, on video) then I’m actually heartened that Professor Halnon was so inspired to perform live and share her moronic bilge in such fashion; her issues are now public and can be addressed. Sadly, I don’t believe she is quite the shocking anomaly that some would virtuously prefer to think; in fact, it is the tenured professors populating universities that spew this vacuous clap trap carte blanche that I find frankly disconcerting.
She chose an unfortunate pulpit from which to preach.
Son had a professor in a subject that should have been interesting if the prof had spent time teaching rather than spouting political rants.
I think it is pretty clear that she is unwell.
The question is really about if a nutcase should be allowed to teach youngsters. She is well enough to book flights and lead students. Students who are deemed “unwell” are met with a different set of standards.
.But she gives easy A’s and free pizza! What a loss to the academic community.
I’d imagine she’s in the middle of some sort of episode here; I’ve had professors with rather… colorful opinions but they’d never resort to this sort of “stunt.” I don’t think she acts like this in her classes. I found the video really sad.
Don’t believe everything you read on ratemyprofessor.
I hope she gets the help she needs.
And almost every tenured professor I know is sincerely working for the best results for their students, and tries very, very hard to keep political opinions out of the classroom and/or label them as their opinion only when they do sneak in.
(Her smoking as resistance move was adorable!)
I read about her the other day re the smoking issue and that article said nothing about the other ranting.
Smoking and ranting on a plane? That’s got to be a mental illness.
Here is her faculty profile: http://www.abington.psu.edu/academics/faculty/dr-karen-bettez-halnon
Ironically, one of her research interests is “women and madness.” Make of that what you will.
I really dislike the broad stereotyping of “nutty professors” and “lazy professors,” though. I’m a grad student, a scientist (I once said that my opinion is “research”), and while I love what I do, some days I would love, love, love a job that didn’t punish working less than 60 hours a week.