problem with a professor

[The Wrath]

My g/f has a Marxist professor which, in and of itself wouldn't really bother me, except that he is extremely blatant about it. I mean, I have a Marxist professor, but he keeps his class pretty balanced, so he doesn't bother me. She's sent me some of his emails and reading them makes my skin crawl. Not to mention, he just showed "Outfoxed," the anti-Fox News cut and paste job that (I think) was produced by George Soros. Now, I'll be the first to admit that FNC is biased, but it's certainly no worse than CNN...it's just in the opposite direction, so this leads me to believe that he's trying to brainwash his students into his extreme leftism. I know that most of academia is on the left, but I have honestly never had a professor who was this blatantly brainwashing his students, and I'm in my first year of grad school. Is there anything I should do? I've actually considered emailing some info on the guy to Bill O'Reilly, because he really gets off on lambasting professors with a leftist bias, but I figured that he probably gets emails like that all the time.

[JMeganSnow]

If he's your girlfriend's professor, then SHE should be the one doing something, if anything is to be done. There's no point in wasting your time crusading against someone that isn't going to change his mind anyway, and, if he gets annoyed enough, can get you tossed out of your school.

[The Wrath]

She doesn't seem to want to do anything, but she's not opposed to me doing something. I can't get tossed out of school, b/c we go to different schools.

[JMeganSnow]

She doesn't seem to want to do anything, but she's not opposed to me doing something.  I can't get tossed out of school, b/c we go to different schools.

It's her professor. If she doesn't think the situation merits action then you should back off. Unless you're planning to spend your life protecting her from anyone that annoys her.

There's no reason why you should take a particular stand against this individual; take a stand against the ideas he propounds, yes, but against the individual? Unless you think he's going to change his mind there's no point. It's not your class. I don't invade seminaries to denounce religion. If you do encounter him personally, feel free to tell him what you think IF he starts lecturing you. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

[gnargtharst]

I wouldnt' worry about one leftist professor. I can't think of any way such a battle would turn out that would be worth your time. Especially since you're not even in his class.

Think big, if you want to oppose this guy: sponsor a campus Objectivist club at that school, or donate money to ARI for the Free-Fountainhead-For-Schools program in this professor's home county (or any county or school district of your choice).

No sense picking at the establishment bit-by-bit. Overwhelm them with future Objectivists!

[The Wrath]

I think you people misread what I was saying. I have no desire to engage this man in debate, but what he is doing is indoctrination which is worse than I have ever heard of coming from a professor. He is engaging in violations of academic ethics, and I think that some form of adminstrative action should be taken.

[danielshrugged]

What is this class supposed to be on?

[DavidOdden]

I don't think there's any problem with you "turning him in". The main question that I would have, would be whether you were recklessly endangering your future or that of your g/f, and you seem to feel that there's no threat (whether or not your assessment is right is another matter -- let's assume it is). Maybe O'Reilly would like to take on the cause on your behalf. I can't imagine that raising objections within the university would be at all effective, and could even be counterproductive.

In order for your accusation to be effective, you need a few things. First, you need strong evidence of inappropriate bias. You should document a strong and overwhelmingly pro-Marxist pattern to the teaching, and you should show that there exists credible non-Marxist material that would be topically appropriate, which was ignored. Second, you need an "interest" in the matter, in the technical sense. As a student at that school, your g/f has certain rights which the instructor might be trampling on, and she could certainly pursue the issue quite effectively, if she wanted to (and you say she doesn't). You might make the argument that you have an interest in this, as a citizen of the state whose tax dollars are going to support the instructor -- if that is the case. You may recall the "under god" suit that was kicked out by SCOTUS, because the father who brought the suit did not have an legal standing, since he did not have custody of the child. Even though you're presumably not planning on bringing suit, the college administration will look upon this matter as though it is a legal case and will ask you "What business is it of yours?". They will demand to know what justifies abridging his First Amendment rights, and you should have a good answer prepared. O'Reilly, on the other hand, will probably not let such objections stop him. Newspapers also publish letters to the editor, if well written and not appearing to be ad hominem attacks. And legislators are always listening to what the voters have to say.

Any attack on academe from outsiders automatically triggers the "circle the wagons" reaction, so I can't imagine pursuing this within the university would do enything except let you vent some steam, to no avail.

[The Wrath]

What is this class supposed to be on?

Andrea and I jokingly refer to it as her "hippie class," because it's one of those BS classes that is meant to fill her college's multiculturalism requirement.

[The Wrath]

I don't think there's any problem with you "turning him in". The main question that I would have, would be whether you were recklessly endangering your future or that of your g/f, and you seem to feel that there's no threat (whether or not your assessment is right is another matter -- let's assume it is). Maybe O'Reilly would like to take on the cause on your behalf. I can't imagine that raising objections within the university would be at all effective, and could even be counterproductive.

In order for your accusation to be effective, you need a few things. First, you need strong evidence of inappropriate bias. You should document a strong and overwhelmingly pro-Marxist pattern to the teaching, and you should show that there exists credible non-Marxist material that would be topically appropriate, which was ignored. Second, you need an "interest" in the matter, in the technical sense. As a student at that school, your g/f has certain rights which the instructor might be trampling on, and she could certainly pursue the issue quite effectively, if she wanted to (and you say she doesn't). You might make the argument that you have an interest in this, as a citizen of the state whose tax dollars are going to support the instructor -- if that is the case. You may recall the "under god" suit that was kicked out by SCOTUS, because the father who brought the suit did not have an legal standing, since he did not have custody of the child. Even though you're presumably not planning on bringing suit, the college administration will look upon this matter as though it is a legal case and will ask you "What business is it of yours?". They will demand to know what justifies abridging his First Amendment rights, and you should have a good answer prepared. O'Reilly, on the other hand, will probably not let such objections stop him. Newspapers also publish letters to the editor, if well written and not appearing to be ad hominem attacks. And legislators are always listening to what the voters have to say.

Any attack on academe from outsiders automatically triggers the "circle the wagons" reaction, so I can't imagine pursuing this within the university would do enything except let you vent some steam, to no avail.

I have some pretty damning evidence of his bias. I mean, if you could read this guy's emails...man, it makes me sick just to think about it. That, and today they finished watching Outfoxed. If he wanted to show Outfoxed and then a video which attempts to rebutt it, I wouldn't complain.

His emails complained that Bush was trying to "spread Western Capitalism throughout the world, whether other sovereign nations like it or not." Those weren't the exact words, but I don't remember them exactly. First of all, I don't think Bush is trying to spread Capitalism, but that's another conversation. Even if it were true, all of his emails are worded in such a way that come across as trying to make other positions look ridiculous. According to Andrea, all he ever does is talk about how much Bush sucks.

At this point, I really have no point in complaining to the school, because most of academe is left-wing anyway, so complaining to more academe isn't going to do anything. After watching what Bill O'Reilly has done to Ward Churchill, I would absolutely love for him to pick this up, but I have no idea how I would make sure it gets to him. I mean, I could email it to him, but he gets thousands of emails every day. At any rate, I won't do it until the end of the semester, so that there's no chance at retribution against anyone in the class.

[DavidOdden]

At this point, I really have no point in complaining to the school, because most of academe is left-wing anyway, so complaining to more academe isn't going to do anything.

I hope you don't misconstrue what I said as profound discouragement (which it might seem to be). Bear in mind that "most" isn't "all", and there are those of us who are looking for exactly this kind of evidence, if it's sustainable. The most important thing you can do, if you do anything, is make the best case possible, a sufficiently public case, and don't expect miracles.

[The Wrath]

Oh, I didn't think it was discouraging...it was actually encouraging, because you seem to be the only person who thinks it would be legitimate to actually do something about it. If I decide to do something about it, I will build the strongest case I can, beforehand.

[deedlebee]

Moose,

One other idea you might consider before launching into this endeavor is the philosophical climate of the university itself. If the entire administration (as shown by how the by-laws and such are written) is heavily weighted on one side, even with all the evidence you gather, you might simply be rewarded with a hefty "so what?"

As I drive into my university each day, there's a sign out front that reads "Predatory Wildlife Warning: Snakes, Deer, Spiders, Alligators.." and two more creatures. The whole thing is set on a bayou, so apparently they've taken pains to preserve the happy alligator at the risk it might eat a student. Arguing against the rampant environmentalism and multiculturalism at this campus with the administration is all but pointless. The best use of my time is to challenge the professors' ideas within the class itself. Push them to back up their material with facts and logic, not just feelings.

The questions don't even need to be inflammatory to get the truth most of the time. What I've noticed about teachers who proselytize like this is that they will fill the class with their personal opinion, weight the lectures in that favor, but when asked to clarify what was "really" happening/meant, they'll say something to the effect of "Oh well of course, but we all know that's wrong." Enough backtracking statements or unanswerable questions from the professor and the students as a whole will probably begin to realize he's a loon.

At any rate, I agree with the posters above who noted that this is not directly your problem and to let your girlfriend deal with it as she sees fit. If she asks for your help in the matter, then feel free.