An interesting situation has arisen at Central Michigan University. The university hired a Democratic Congressional candidate to teach one class a week but at a full-time salary. A student became upset at what he perceived to be support of this candidate with tax-payer funds. His efforts have drawn the ire of the university which is now trying to kick him out.
Here is the story. I don’t think anyone is still so naive as to believe that universities are neutral in politics but few show the blatant favoritism of this story.
Dr. K., several years ago my wife and I explored getting jobs at CMU.
It looks like we dodged a bullet.
You could run for Congress as a Democrat and have them beating on your door with offers.
Well, it’s interesting, Dr. K. I’m not trying to stir the pot, so just hear me out.
Scenario #1: a biology professor who believes in Intelligent Design. He talks about it, but in no way puts that information into any lecture or laboratory class he teaches, ever.
Scenario #2: a chemistry professor who is a full on Marxist, and works that philosophy into each one of his classes (in chemistry, I remind you).
Trying to boot the professor in Scenario #2 would be a violation of intellectual freedom. Booting the professor in Scenario #1 would be perfectly okay on most campuses.
Food for thought. And it ties into the Volokh post, I think.
By the way, did you see the comments on this story out of CMU? Lots of folks were defending the Dean. Just turn the situation around—conservative school, conservative Dean, same scenario with a liberal student—and you would hear shouts of jackbooted fascists.
It was the Left who pushed this “touch the camera constitutes assault.” I’m find with that definition, but it should be applied across the board.
Hey Eric and Dr. K.
Eric, since I know you’re here, here’s a poster for you to share with some of your more snot-nosed ‘trustafarian’ students. Hope you enjoy them too Mike.
http://blog.jimmyr.com/pics/186_3.jpg
And here’s another:
http://blog.jimmyr.com/pics/186_10.jpg
Enjoy!
Hi, Steve:
Those links don’t work for me. What am I supposed to see?
I gave a final exam today. My favorite part? Class of about fifty students. Final exam is 20 pages long. Student walks up at the end of the exam time, hands me her exam, and then asks “Will you have the exams graded by Thursday?”
Ur, no. I wanted to tell her the equation my father taught me long ago: good, fast, cheap. Pick two.
This is a student, by the way, who is dogging me points, but never came to office hours, sent me questions, or came to review sessions. Oh well.
Steve, those links didn’t work for me either.