Professor Erickson: an extreme liberal and feminist ethnographer at Grinnell College in Iowa - AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
This is how some conservative students react to professors who have a political opinion that differs from their own.
A group of these students created a watchlist so that other students like themselves can be aware of professors at their universities who have a strong liberal bias. The watchlist is on a website called Professor Watchlist and was created by Turning Point News and Turning Point USA.
Turning Point News claims to be “exposing liberal bias and providing a creative platform for young conservatives,” according to their official website. Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization that aims to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government,” according to their official website.
However, these organizations do not find the professors themselves. Instead, Professor Watchlist is “an aggregated list of pre-existing news stories that were published by a variety of news organizations.” Each of these news organizations is found to be “a credible source,” according to Professor Watchlist.
Although Professor Watchlist claims that students, family, and alumni deserve to know about the radical agenda that certain professors present in their classroom, many students find it alarming that such a list exists.
Kendall Butler, a senior, said, “I don’t think it’s right that a list like this was made. Our country exists on the idea of political freedom, so nobody should be discriminated against or attacked for their views. This list is making these professors a target for discrimination.”
However, on Professor Watchlist, it is stated that Turning Point USA “will continue to fight for free speech and the right for professors to say whatever they wish,” indicating that their actions are not aimed to restrict the professors on the list due to their political opinions.
Despite this claim, many professors named on the watchlist have seen its effects in their lives.
Karla Erickson is a professor at Grinnell College who was put on the watchlist for being a feminist ethnographer and teaching a course on American Whiteness, which examines whiteness as a specific racial formation with a distinct history, proactive and defensive politics, and institutional and personal investments, according to the Grinnell College website.
“In the Grinnell context, students get to pick all their courses, and they choose for a wide variety of reasons: content, timing, rigor, pedagogical style, and so on. I’m sure [that] perceived politics of the professor is a factor in this decision too,” said Erickson.
While students have control over what professors they have in college, avoiding classes due to the teacher’s political opinion is not possible at Carlmont.
Carlmont Instructional Vice Principal Jen Cho said, “Allowing students to change classes due to the political beliefs of a teacher is absolutely against every policy at Carlmont. Students can change class levels or programs, but we can’t fulfill requests based on teacher preferences.”
Although they do not get to choose their teachers at Carlmont, some students understand how Professor Watchlist could affect future decisions about college courses.
Casey Felton, a senior, said, “I won’t personally use this watchlist when selecting college courses next year because I like arguing with my teachers. However, I feel that it could be beneficial for students who are less assertive. I’m glad the list is there as a resource for other students.”
While this watchlist may affect some students’ decisions on taking courses with these professors, others are unbothered by the list and aim to prevent changes in their education that are solely due to the political opinions of professors.
“If I end up going to a college or university where a professor on the watchlist teaches, I won’t avoid their classes because of it,” said Butler. “Avoiding a class and an opportunity to learn just because the professor has a different view than you is probably hurting you more than if you just took the class and listened to their point of view.”
Similarly, some professors who found themselves on the watchlist have decided not to change their curriculum because of it.
“I will not be changing my teaching style due to this list. If they really want to, students can avoid my classes,” said Erickson.
Many believe that because young adults will not be able to avoid a difference of opinion in their lives after college, they should disregard the list, as some professors have, and take this opportunity to learn how to coexist with people of other viewpoints.
“As long as the beliefs of the professor aren’t directly influencing the curriculum in a way that takes away from your learning the subject correctly, dealing with teachers that have different political beliefs than you is just a part of life,” said Cho. “Students should treat the professors on the watchlist how they would treat any other professor: professionally and with respect.”
The Highlander, September 2017
This is how some conservative students react to professors who have a political opinion that differs from their own.
A group of these students created a watchlist so that other students like themselves can be aware of professors at their universities who have a strong liberal bias. The watchlist is on a website called Professor Watchlist and was created by Turning Point News and Turning Point USA.
Turning Point News claims to be “exposing liberal bias and providing a creative platform for young conservatives,” according to their official website. Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization that aims to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government,” according to their official website.
However, these organizations do not find the professors themselves. Instead, Professor Watchlist is “an aggregated list of pre-existing news stories that were published by a variety of news organizations.” Each of these news organizations is found to be “a credible source,” according to Professor Watchlist.
Although Professor Watchlist claims that students, family, and alumni deserve to know about the radical agenda that certain professors present in their classroom, many students find it alarming that such a list exists.
Kendall Butler, a senior, said, “I don’t think it’s right that a list like this was made. Our country exists on the idea of political freedom, so nobody should be discriminated against or attacked for their views. This list is making these professors a target for discrimination.”
However, on Professor Watchlist, it is stated that Turning Point USA “will continue to fight for free speech and the right for professors to say whatever they wish,” indicating that their actions are not aimed to restrict the professors on the list due to their political opinions.
Despite this claim, many professors named on the watchlist have seen its effects in their lives.
Karla Erickson is a professor at Grinnell College who was put on the watchlist for being a feminist ethnographer and teaching a course on American Whiteness, which examines whiteness as a specific racial formation with a distinct history, proactive and defensive politics, and institutional and personal investments, according to the Grinnell College website.
“In the Grinnell context, students get to pick all their courses, and they choose for a wide variety of reasons: content, timing, rigor, pedagogical style, and so on. I’m sure [that] perceived politics of the professor is a factor in this decision too,” said Erickson.
While students have control over what professors they have in college, avoiding classes due to the teacher’s political opinion is not possible at Carlmont.
Carlmont Instructional Vice Principal Jen Cho said, “Allowing students to change classes due to the political beliefs of a teacher is absolutely against every policy at Carlmont. Students can change class levels or programs, but we can’t fulfill requests based on teacher preferences.”
Although they do not get to choose their teachers at Carlmont, some students understand how Professor Watchlist could affect future decisions about college courses.
Casey Felton, a senior, said, “I won’t personally use this watchlist when selecting college courses next year because I like arguing with my teachers. However, I feel that it could be beneficial for students who are less assertive. I’m glad the list is there as a resource for other students.”
While this watchlist may affect some students’ decisions on taking courses with these professors, others are unbothered by the list and aim to prevent changes in their education that are solely due to the political opinions of professors.
“If I end up going to a college or university where a professor on the watchlist teaches, I won’t avoid their classes because of it,” said Butler. “Avoiding a class and an opportunity to learn just because the professor has a different view than you is probably hurting you more than if you just took the class and listened to their point of view.”
Similarly, some professors who found themselves on the watchlist have decided not to change their curriculum because of it.
“I will not be changing my teaching style due to this list. If they really want to, students can avoid my classes,” said Erickson.
Many believe that because young adults will not be able to avoid a difference of opinion in their lives after college, they should disregard the list, as some professors have, and take this opportunity to learn how to coexist with people of other viewpoints.
“As long as the beliefs of the professor aren’t directly influencing the curriculum in a way that takes away from your learning the subject correctly, dealing with teachers that have different political beliefs than you is just a part of life,” said Cho. “Students should treat the professors on the watchlist how they would treat any other professor: professionally and with respect.”
The Highlander, September 2017