Washington State University
(Moscow campus)
"Gross generalizations, stereotypes, and derogatory/oppressive language are not acceptable. Use of racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, classist, or generally offensive language in class or submission of such material will not be tolerated. (This includes “The Man,” “Colored People,” “Illegals/Illegal Aliens,” “Tranny” and so on - or referring to women/men as females or males) If I see it or hear it, I will correct it in class since it can be a learning moment for many students. Repeated use of oppressive and hateful language will be handled accordingly – including but not limited to removal from the class without attendance or participation points, failure of the assignment, and - in extreme cases - failure for the semester."
-From syllabus of graduate teaching asst. Selena Lester Breikss
The speech police are out in full force at Washington State University, where they are told to refrain from using terms like "illegal aliens" at risk of getting bad grades. One teacher even directs his white students to "defer" to students of color. ( I guess that means they have to get off the sidewalk and let students of color pass.)
Campus Reform has the depressing details.
http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6770
Translation: "I will never use the term, 'illegal alien' again."
The teachers mentioned are John Streamas, Selena Lester Breikss and Rebecca Fowler.
But wait a minute: According to the departmental home page, Breikss and Fowler are graduate teaching assistants, not professors.
https://ccgrs.wsu.edu/faculty-staff/
So maybe we can forgive Ms Breikss for this silly error on her syllabus.
"Three tardies or late departures will equal one absence." (Emphasis mine.)
This cancer has spread all over the country where race is issue number one on campuses thanks not to the students, but to radical faculty and administrators who don't know what's going on or don't care. This is pure fascism in action, and the demonization of white students has to stop before somebody gets hurt. This only leads to division and hatred, and that leads to violence. Let's get this straight: being a "Student of Color" is no badge of nobility. You are no better or no worse than white students, and get over this notion of white privilege. It is a myth concocted by these fringe radicals in academia because they have run out of legitimate complaints of racism and discrimination.
If you are a student of any ethnicity, you are making a serious error in taking these chauvinistic and divisive courses. They will prepare you for nothing in the outside world and only instill hate in you.
These professors (and graduate teaching assistants) are a disgrace to the world of education.
Either students will take this lying down, in which case they deserve it, or they will react with spluttering outrage, in which case they will be easily isolated and shamed, or they will give this some sober thought and provide the pointed, carefully considered response that this rabid nonsense deserves.
ReplyDeleteA good starting point is that a person who faces penalties for violating a rule is entitled to notice of what actions will trigger the penalty. That is why we have ex post facto laws, and why "vague and overbroad" is a favorite term of both civil lawyers and criminal defense attorneys, as well as of any office manager who ever received a subpoena. This long string of vituperative language laced with broad expansive language can certainly be challenged on this ground.
Then, the fact that adjuncts are generating broad criteria for general behavior (as distinct from specific requirements germane to the course content) which could be, but are not, applied generally to all courses, all lectures, all social interaction in the entire university, invokes the obvious necessity for the university administration to either make these criteria universal, or reign in the adjunct teachers who think the classroom is their personal fief.
That should give the students a good start, if any of them are reading Fousesquawk.
You starting off with a good suggestion-sputtering outrage then lost me in details.
ReplyDeletePS. They are not adjuncts (I am an adjunct.) Two are graduate teaching assistants. One is an associate professor (who a few years ago referred to some College Republicans as "white sh--bags."
Kool.
Sputtering outrage always loses. Attention to detail is what wins. Even Patton knew that. You'd be very ineffective as an officer of a combat outfit, however effective you might be as a front line private.
ReplyDeleteAs I expected, the whole tempest in a tea cup is blowing over. These were individual actions that were squelched by the campus administration doing its job once it became known.
Ho-hum.
And to paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt, no-one can make you "white" without your consent.