Worried

Colleges and Universities A-Z Drexel University
1

Let me begin by saying that I do not, in any way, intend for this to start any political debate. I am sincerely worried.

I was accepted into Drexel as well as Pennoni Honors College as an English major. I received great financial aid, so needless to say, Drexel is a top contender. Now, I am a Republican, but I tend to be neutral, especially with recent events.
However, I was extremely disturbed to see Drexel Professor George Ciccariello tweet out that he was disgusted by a first class passenger giving up his seat for a soldier. Looking back at other tweets, he has made some pretty frightening remarks. I’m not only appalled morally, but I come from a military family: my grandfather was a paratrooper in WWII, my grandfather was in the Navy during Vietnam, my uncle served in Desert Storm, and my cousin is about to graduate boot camp. I am considering joining the ROTC program myself. Seeing this has me extremely worried about the academia of Drexel. I am considering double majoring in Political Science, so seeing this kind of remark on social media has my family doubting the neutrality of Drexel’s professors.
I know that college is a place of discussion, but I don’t believe that it is a place for disrespect.
I’m asking if anyone has any knowledge of what to expect. I chose Drexel because of its straight-as-an-arrow academics and I was simply blown away by the English department. I also chose Drexel because I genuinely believe that having such a diverse campus meant diverse opinions, not just liberal or just conservative. I would like to go to a school where a professor’s opinion won’t be shoved down my throat and presented as fact instead of opinion.
Now that I’m seriously considering Poli Sci I would like someone’s opinion on how to approach something like this should it ever occur while in the classroom.
I’m sorry if this is all over the place, but I am genuinely upset. I really love Drexel, but I also value a school that will stand up against such remarks that definitely reflect on the school’s image, even if the remarks don’t reflect the school’s opinion.

Thank you.

2

Eyeroll. One professor. Don’t take his class.

3

@intparent Really didn’t need that. What I’m worried about is how to deal with such remarks in lecture halls and classrooms.

4

You can speak up and make your case if you think you have a sound one to make. Or write papers that reflect a careful and considered position with solid evidence to back it up. And this guy is getting a lot of backlash, he isn’t typical. Again… he is ONE professor. Odds of you needing to take his class are probably around zero. And it isn’t as if some profs have never made offensive comments on the other side of the political spectrum. Profs do crappy things pretty often. My kids have had profs that harassed women in their classroom or during office hours, and one that was arrested on child porn charges during the semester my kid had him as a teacher. It is the grown up world to encounter people whose opinions are different from yours, and even sometimes offensive to you.

5

@intparent Yes, thank you. That’s what I wanted to know. I haven’t been able to gage how Drexel’s professors are. I wanted to know if Mr. Ciccariello’s comments were common amongst the other professors, but I know now that he is of the eccentric side of Drexel’s spectrum. Please do not patronize me, I know that I will encounter offensive comments, but I do not want to have my family spend thousands of dollars for me to spend four years having to keep my opinions to myself simply because the professor takes their opinion as fact.

6

I think you will never even encounter this prof, but will have many other discussions that will challenge your assumptions and current opinions.

7

@intparent thank you for sharing your opinion. It is greatly appreciated.