2008 Woodie Awards
Profs should keep politics out of class
Christina Jelly
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Opinion
Furthermore, a 2004 report titled "Politics in the Classroom" found that nearly a third of students surveyed agreed with the statement "On my campus, there are courses in which students feel they have to agree with the professor's political or social views in order to get a good grade." That's hardly the kind of open and inclusive learning environment universities aim to cultivate.
Because blatant and unnecessary political remarks during lectures can suppress honest academic curiosity, professors should try to keep their political opinions to themselves as much as possible. According to the American Association of University Professors, that's what they should all be doing anyway; their guidelines state professors should avoid "teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject."
Yet, as students, we don't have to go as far as calling for a formal code of political neutrality in classrooms. Professors shouldn't be barred from sharing their political opinions, but they should just know better than to make clever political criticisms merely to elicit laughs.
Controversial ideas are important to fostering academic inquiry, but professors should remember to keep from turning their podium into a pulpit for their individual political beliefs.
Because blatant and unnecessary political remarks during lectures can suppress honest academic curiosity, professors should try to keep their political opinions to themselves as much as possible. According to the American Association of University Professors, that's what they should all be doing anyway; their guidelines state professors should avoid "teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject."
Yet, as students, we don't have to go as far as calling for a formal code of political neutrality in classrooms. Professors shouldn't be barred from sharing their political opinions, but they should just know better than to make clever political criticisms merely to elicit laughs.
Controversial ideas are important to fostering academic inquiry, but professors should remember to keep from turning their podium into a pulpit for their individual political beliefs.
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