Educators Worry About Free Speech - Professors receiving death threats

[Quetzal]

Colorado Educators Worry About Free Speech

DENVER (AP) - A university president and a Democratic state lawmaker said rules put in place this year to protect conservative views on Colorado campuses have led to death threats against professors and a harmful effect on free speech.

Republican lawmakers responded that conservative students are still being harassed and more needs to be done.

A handful of college officials and students went before the Legislature's Joint Education Committee on Thursday to report on efforts to enforce the Academic Bill of Rights. All state-funded colleges adopted the policy this year under pressure from Republican lawmakers.

Professors at Metropolitan State College in Denver are concerned that some topics may be off-limits in the classroom, interim president Ray Kieft told lawmakers. He cited discussions of stem cell research, a lightning-rod issue for some Republicans who claim it amounts to abortion.

http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/other/1110/9-10-2004/20040910003010_21.html

[bluestateguy]

1. The oppressed conservative white men strike back

What a bunch of whiny little crybabies. Do these students really expect that they should be able to go through life without their views ever being challenged? Or that every institution that they encounter will always be objective and impartial and politically balanced? Sorry kids, the real world just ain't that way. A lot of people go into their workplaces every day being forced to listen to political tripe from colleagues talking around the water cooler, to say nothing of the corporatist indoctrination that comes from the leadership of such companies. And if you want to talk political indoctrination, spend a few days in military basic training (Young conservatives, yeah right). If they want to go to college in a place where their right wing ideology (which is most likely the product of indoctrination from Mommy and Daddy) will not be challenged, there are plenty of institutions that will accomodate that wish. Conservative colleges and universities include George Mason, Washington and Lee, Texas A&M, Brigham Young, Bob Jones and Hillsdale College.

[Sugarbleus]

2. Whoa!! It's getting deeper folks... eom

[F.Gordon]

3. (R)="Racist" becomes "he called me a Nazi" WTF??!!

This current "bill" is voluntary. Repukes, including repuke "term of endearment" Nancy Spence, is trying to inflate the problem so they can push for it to be mandatory.

"Those liberal teachers called me a Nazi".
"Those liberal teachers don't support the troops."
"Those liberal teachers attacked my God."

Oh, and what about the Fairness Doctrine?? Where is the push for this?

[coloradodem2005]

4. Define harassed.

How are the conservatives being harassed? Is not being allowed to step on the toes of liberals considered being harassed? Is hearing anti-Bush talk and people denouncing the war in Iraq considered harassment? Is complaining about the economic situation and the healthcare situation harassment? What is done to them that is harassment?

[hasbro]

5. As a CU student

I am scared about this. I would hate for this to turn into another blacklist.

I also don't want cons in control of the school, because I'm sure they'll start attacking the anthro departments because it contravenes creationism. They'll also try to establish "discipline" with jerk-off measures like dress codes.

I've had to here from my Repub parents how professors talk at us students, I recognize that because the only ones doing it are my parents.

Another trope is the College Republicans aren't getting fair treatment. I agree, they're getting PREFERENTIAL treatment. Jon Andrews and Owens care more about these 30 or so students than he does about the other 26,000 at CU and the 21k at CSU. This is a group in Boulder that said of their own membership numbers 35 (and assuming they aren't counting everyone who's just gone to a meeting. Meanwhile 200 students went down to the capital on their own (as opposed to being brought down by Andrews during finals) to protest the lack of state support for the school. That would lead one to believe the student body is at least 10 times more concerned with funding than "Academic Fairness (for cons.)"

These shit disturbers have the gaul to complain about speakers they didn't get, while the uni gave Annhole Cunter $20k to spew hate. They also protest against affirmative action. The school is 2% black so you can see how that's crippled admissions.

[angka]

6. details

http://www.rmpn.org/weblog/archives3/permalink/002642.cfm