2008 Woodie Awards
EDITORIAL: Professors' politics belong in classrooms when appropriate
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Opinion
Originally published: 2/21/08 at 7:51 PM EST
Last update: 2/21/08 at 7:50 PM EST
Anthropology professor Mark Cohen has made it clear - if the United States invades Iran, he's going to bring his politics to the classroom.
While it's possible we would agree with everything Dr. Cohen would say, we can't condone such a practice.
Politics, however, does have a place in the classroom. It's an appropriate discussion to have in the right courses and at the right times.
Calculus, for example, is not a class where a discussion of international relations is fitting. It is, however, suitable to talk about federal education policy and what impact it has on the future of mathematics in the U.S.
But the real measure of whether a professor's political discussion is appropriate is whether her opinion and how she presents it interferes with her students' ability or willingness to share there own viewpoints.
That isn't an idea we can take credit for, though. Dr. Cohen's colleague James Armstrong, who chairs the anthropology department, can claim that right.
He also articulates the idea better than we can.
"I do think some discomfort is good,.I like to experience intellectual discomfort myself, challenge my beliefs," Dr. Armstrong said.
"But you can express your political opinion by empowering students in ways that allow them to voice their own political opinions."
It's particularly an issue at this school, where political apathy is rampant among students. Many - perhaps most - of the students at Plattsburgh State do not have the knowledge or resource to debate professors.
And that is why it isn't just appropriate for professors to bring political discussion and their opinions to classes - it is their duty.
It's been an exciting time in the last few months as the nominations for presidential election have heated up. There seems to be more young people engaged in the political discussion than there have been in many years. We can only hope it isn't a fad and a trend.
This makes it one of the most important times for professors to engage their students in discussion, present their viewspoints and invite students to refute them.
We hope that the Faculty Senate, which Dr. Cohen called on to discuss the issue, should do just that. We hope the members take some more time to have a constructive conversation or debate about what is considered suitable conduct.
We can't support the senate passing any kind of resolution that would push for penalties on faculty who push their viewpoints. That is, contrary to what Dr. Cohen said, a free speech issue and something very dear to our hearts.
While it's possible we would agree with everything Dr. Cohen would say, we can't condone such a practice.
Politics, however, does have a place in the classroom. It's an appropriate discussion to have in the right courses and at the right times.
Calculus, for example, is not a class where a discussion of international relations is fitting. It is, however, suitable to talk about federal education policy and what impact it has on the future of mathematics in the U.S.
But the real measure of whether a professor's political discussion is appropriate is whether her opinion and how she presents it interferes with her students' ability or willingness to share there own viewpoints.
That isn't an idea we can take credit for, though. Dr. Cohen's colleague James Armstrong, who chairs the anthropology department, can claim that right.
He also articulates the idea better than we can.
"I do think some discomfort is good,.I like to experience intellectual discomfort myself, challenge my beliefs," Dr. Armstrong said.
"But you can express your political opinion by empowering students in ways that allow them to voice their own political opinions."
It's particularly an issue at this school, where political apathy is rampant among students. Many - perhaps most - of the students at Plattsburgh State do not have the knowledge or resource to debate professors.
And that is why it isn't just appropriate for professors to bring political discussion and their opinions to classes - it is their duty.
It's been an exciting time in the last few months as the nominations for presidential election have heated up. There seems to be more young people engaged in the political discussion than there have been in many years. We can only hope it isn't a fad and a trend.
This makes it one of the most important times for professors to engage their students in discussion, present their viewspoints and invite students to refute them.
We hope that the Faculty Senate, which Dr. Cohen called on to discuss the issue, should do just that. We hope the members take some more time to have a constructive conversation or debate about what is considered suitable conduct.
We can't support the senate passing any kind of resolution that would push for penalties on faculty who push their viewpoints. That is, contrary to what Dr. Cohen said, a free speech issue and something very dear to our hearts.
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