THE SAME trite rhetoric still exists in conservative propaganda -- university professors are too liberal. Earlier this year, conservative politicians and professors created the "Academic Bill of Rights." Only implemented in a few states, the document prescribes adherence to a politically balanced faculty. CNN reports that college officials in Colorado are evaluating the program's effectiveness before the legislature's Joint Education Committee. In order to foster a healthy, effective education in Colorado and nationwide, university faculty and administrators should not feel pressure to conceal their political beliefs.
Republican lawmakers in Colorado still complain about liberal biases and the unfair treatment of conservative students, despite the Academic Bill of Rights. And Democrats outline the bill's effect on freedom of speech, and point to instances of death threats aimed at liberal university professors. Yet this debate should not be politically motivated. Politicians, professors and students involved in higher education realize the educational value of openness and forums for discussion in the classroom.
These political disputes force professors to shy away from discussing important educational topics. For instance, some conservatives assert that stem cell research and evolution theories should not even receive recognition in college-level courses. The Academic Bill of Rights states, "Academic institutions and professional societies should maintain a posture of organizational neutrality with respect to the substantive disagreements that divide researchers on questions within, or outside, their fields of inquiry."But students of universities are educated and over 18 -- they can decide their own viewpoints and develop effective arguments to counter material in class. No student completely agrees with course content or believes every professor to be the sole bearer of truth. There is dialogue at universities. Students interact with professors, and theories are analyzed and debated, not simply avoided.
David Horowitz, author of the Academic Bill of Rights and a proponent of Students for Academic Freedom (SAF), encourages conservative students to report any liberal biases or wrongdoings from professors. On SAF's Web site, students write in complaints and criticize professors and college programs. There is one complaint concerning the University of Virginia. A student claims that Don Butin's "Anthropology of Education" course indoctrinates students to a left-leaning thinking about American schools. The student later declares the subject as "socialist indoctrination." This kind of dialogue (whining and complaining) is not effective for improving higher education.
Instead of writing to a politically-motivated Web site, this student can use the available forums of education to advance his or her purpose. Talk to professors, administrators or deans and argue your point of view in class. If universities found out that their professors are not listening to students, they would hopefully be confronted by the university or fired.
Professors are allowed to have political affiliations. This is a right granted in the real Bill of Rights, not some conservative attempt to rid universities of a liberal reputation. Horowitz's Academic Bill of Rights states, "It has been recognized that intellectual independence means the protection of students -- as well as faculty -- from the imposition of any orthodoxy of a political, religious or ideological nature." This claim makes the assumption that professors of a certain political belief, who may present biased material, are in fact imposing their ideological will on students. Yet this is usually not the case. Students can research other methods, opinions or strategies on their own time or even better, raise their hands in class. Interaction between professors and students is far more productive than a balanced classroom, where professors shy away from their own beliefs and instead present material in a standardized format. Not to mention, that if a student thinks a class is biased, he can refrain from enrolling in the course. Courses should not be entirely based on political affiliations. We do not want to classify courses in the COD as either leftist or rightist. Yet professors, in addition to their objective to enlighten students, should feel free to express opinions. If a student disagrees, there is an excellent opportunity for the class to engage in discussion and each student can decide for himself.
The world according to standardized, apolitical beliefs or an educational balancing act is dry and uneventful. Part of our democracy thrives on opinions and freedom to express these. A diversity of opinions in the classroom is necessary for students to engage in course material. Professors are hired for a reason -- that is, to teach, not indoctrinate. If political beliefs are represented in course readings or lectures, do not complain to SAF or decry all higher education as liberal -- instead, use existing measures of balancing classrooms, discussion and active engagement.
Michael Behr's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at mbehr@cavalierdaily.com.
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