<p>(excerpt)</p>
<p>"Professor, culture critic, and social justice advocate Cornel West addressed a panel at the 2007 Left Forum in New York last weekend. West is a professor of religion and African-American studies at Princeton University. West says, "What I would like to see is radical reformism once more become fashionable among young people." [includes rush transcript] "</p>
<p>Glad to see that Princeton made the list. Maybe Harvard does not figure on the list because West left? Hmmm... I never was fond of him. One of the issues I happened to agree with Larry Summers on.</p>
<p>If you are referring to the School's That Build Character list, I don't think Harvard was on the list even when West was there.</p>
<p>P.S. Have you heard that now with Summers gone Harvard is trying to recruit West again?</p>
<p>Yes, I did. My S won't be taking his classes.
I don't like people from either the left or the right telling me or my kids What to think. I send them to college to learn how to think for themselves.</p>
<p>"My S won't be taking his classes. ... I send them to college to learn how to think for themselves."</p>
<p>Then how can you speak for him? Isn't it possible he has a differing view?</p>
<p>I think one of the beauties of college is the ability to experience vastly different points of view. Having a group of professors all marching down the political center would be quite boring. No?</p>
<p>I don't speak for him. I happen to know his views. Many of them are different from mine.</p>
<p>Differing views can be quite healthy indeed, including those of Professor West.</p>
<p>I am certainly not a leftist, but I do appreciate differing views. I was always taught tolerance was a sign of education.</p>
<p>Different views, yes. Indoctrination, no.</p>
<p>I agree, but did you believe Professor West was indoctrinating students or merely offering a very different view?</p>
<p>marite, the responsible party in indoctrination is the receiver not the expouser. West, Sousa or whoever can say what they believe and it will not necessarily change my views one iota.</p>
<p>That is not to say that I am close minded. If a speaker couches his/her arguement logically and with new facts or information, I might be inclined to change my mind. But I am the decider.</p>
<p>Originaloog:</p>
<p>In the classroom, there is a different power relationship. It is not an exchange between equals. Cornel West is free to think and do what he likes. But if his goal is to instill his values into his students, then I have a problem. I can trust my S to resist ideas he finds unconvincing. But the best strategy would be to avoid classes taught by West, or D'Souza or someone else with an agenda, be it of the left or right.</p>
<p>What it means to speak like a leftist in the mold of Prof Cornel--the 'Rapper'--West:
[quote]
It means to have a certain kind of temperament, to make certain kinds of political and ethical choices, and to exercise certain analytical focuses in targeting on the catastrophic and the monstrous, the scandalous, the traumatic, that are often hidden and concealed in the deodorized and manicured discourses of the mainstream. That's what it means to be a leftist. So let's just be clear about it.
[/quote]
Clear, you say? </p>
<p>Probably catchier prose with a back-beat mixed in; though I hear is rap recordings haven’t exactly tore their way up the charts either. Still, to a leftist rapper like Prof West, such trash talking is the nature of the game if you wanna be a playah.</p>
<p>I remember going head to head with my poli sci prof lo those many years ago, as he was a leftist, and I was really more left than right, but looked at every situation and evaluated it for what it was. He made a statement that I knew was incorrect, and gave him an example. Hence, the C in the course. He didn't dare give me anything less. (and this was as unranked school in hte rural heartland) D and her friends at other schools (elites, ivies and publics in many states) says things aren't much different. Some profs are fair, but others base their grades on how well you parrot back what they said. It's like memorizing the facts, only they are their interpretation of the facts. Many profs see education as their pulpit to espouse their views and force them upon the kids. Neither D nor I want her taking classes from such profs. She is and always was a free thinker. That is what has made her such a success. Squelching that in her would be a travesty. Present the situation, have students discuss and make their own decisions. On essay tests, have them analyze and if they can support their argument, it shouldn't matter whether or not it agrees with the professor.</p>
<p>"Many profs see education as their pulpit to espouse their views and force them upon the kids."</p>
<p>Those "kids" as supposed to be adults; they can handle it.</p>
<p>And they can handle the C in the course as well?</p>
<p>I never saw or heard of anyone being docked a grade for their politics but then I have never been a terribly political person. </p>
<p>It really happens even now?</p>
<p>Because if not, I'd rather have my daughter take classes from zealots than solely analytical thinkers. After all, the world has both types and learning to parse zealots is pretty important.</p>
<p>"And they can handle the C in the course as well?"</p>
<p>That was 20-25 years ago. And, yes, if need be. (I doubt that it ever actually happens, though you could be kicked out at Liberty for voicing disbelief in the virgin birth....)</p>
<p>Since American liberals are well to the right of center in global terms, I doubt there is much risk of leftist brainwashing. </p>
<p>But sure would like to see more in the way of leftist economists like Amartya Sen. ;)</p>
<p>^ mini, as a student I can tell you that especially in colleges like Harvard (where the people who get accepted no doubt cared about their GPA), people aren't going to be happy with a C. Also, keep in mind that the majority of these "adults" know the importance of being on a teacher's good side for recommendation/GPA purposes. It practically sets the stage for Professors to abuse their powers if the students perceive that's the only way they're going to make it through that class.</p>
<p>I agree that people should be exposed to different opinions, but why jump into a class whoes professor has some issues and will likely try to actively influence you? As much as you many hope that college students are "adults" they are still in many sense still not quite there (18-21? C'mon!)</p>
<p>Also, marite, I completely agree that universities should be places to learn HOW to think, not WHAT to think.</p>
<p>"mini, as a student I can tell you that especially in colleges like Harvard (where the people who get accepted no doubt cared about their GPA), people aren't going to be happy with a C"</p>
<p>If you reread the post, the "C" happened 20-25 years ago!!! And I note that not a single person on this forum has been able (or willing) to post a more recent example. (in other words, it ain't happenin', or at least no more often than it does among the Liberty U. folks.)</p>
<p>Guess those supposed leftists that monopolize American college education have just become much too lenient. ;)</p>
<p>I argued with a Marxist history professor and wrote my own kind of answers on the midterm -- "C". I changed to agreeing with him in class discussions and then parroting his positions on the final -- "A". It's not just a leftie thing, but let's not pretend that smooching a professor's bottom is not a proven way to his (or her) heart.</p>