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more on Andrew Greeley: Academic Freedom -- What Good Is It?
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:05:44 -0500
------ Forwarded Message From: "John F. McMullen" <observer () westnet com> Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:53:08 -0500 (EST) To: johnmac's living room <johnmacsgroup () yahoogroups com> Cc: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>, Commonweal Mailing List <commonweal () yahoogroups com> Subject: Andrew Greeley: Academic Freedom -- What Good Is It? Academic Freedom -- What Good Is It? by Andrew M. Greeley Professor Ward Churchill, who teaches "ethnic studies" at the University of Colorado, is in deep trouble with the Regents and the Governor of the State for an essay he wrote on the September 11 disaster in which he suggested, among other things, that those who died were "Little Eichmans", men and women responsible for a holocaust. His point was that American capitalism is responsible for the death of millions of people. The essay was off-the-wall, over-the-top, and around-the-bend -- which is apparently Professor Churchill's way of making a point. He will be roadkill at Colorado, though his opinions violate no law. In the temper of the times, Professor Churchill is not a "patriot" and must lose the academic freedom to express his opinions, a right which exists to permit scholars to do their research without fear of the unpopularity of their conclusions or their personal opinions. I suspect, however, that academic freedom and the tenure process which reinforces it (if in fact it does not create it!) exist in reality to protect professors from other professors in the constant internecine ideological conflicts that are part of life in many academic professions. The issue in the Churchill case ought not to be freedom of speech beyond the walls of the university or even in faculty lounges. The issue is rather whether he used the classroom as a platform for expressing opinions which go beyond the subject matter of his instruction. Even in so problematic a field as ethnic studies, some of his assertion that Columbus Day celebrates genocide would exceed the subject matter. However, there is nothing in the reports of his alleged offenses that suggests he browbeat students with his ideas. If he did that he does not belong in a university community By way of illustration of the issue, in the sociology course I teach on God in the Movies, I have no right to campaign for belief in the existence of God, or to attack the belief of evangelical Christians in the literal interpretation of the book of Genesis, subjects which go beyond the boundaries of sociology. The students know who and what I am and what I believe, but implicit in the discussion about, let us say, whether Audrey Hepburn in the film "Always" is a good metaphor for God, is the phrase "God,if there be one". If I went beyond that I don't belong in the classroom. On the other hand if I were teaching biology, I could reject creationism or if I were teaching biblical literature I could reject Genesis as a book of science. Class is not for personal opinion but for subject matter, presented honestly and professionally. If someone wants to go after me because I see metaphors for God in the movies (and in the wonderful TV series "Joan of Arcadia") than they are violating my academic freedom. Without fear of censorship, I also must be free to disagree with students who don't think that older women (like the late Ms. Hepburn) can be erotically attractive -- which is not just a personal opinion, but a statistically demonstrated fact. I have no right, however, to speak on my political convictions -- save in an outside forum like his column. On the other hand when a dean at a certain university warned me against wearing clerical garb in class he certainly was attacking my academic freedom – even though I had no intention of bringing the roman collar into class. These nuances may appear unimportant, but they are in fact very important. Some faculty -- not many --seem to think that it is their duty to disabuse students of the convictions they bring to the classroom, even if these convictions have nothing to do with the subject matter they are teaching. This may be great sport, but when it becomes habitual practice to sneer at students, the offending professor should be warned, then rebuked, then dismissed. Of course they're not sanctioned. No one gets in trouble for making fun of religion. At Columbia University no one gets in trouble any more for anti-Semitism. No one anywhere gets in trouble for making fun of Catholicism But at Colorado you can get in deep trouble if you criticize American foreign policy in an article written for publication. Academic freedom protects professors from one another and from yahoos outside the university (like regents) and it should protect students from yahoo professors. "When you come to the fork in the road, take it" - L.P. Berra "Always make new mistakes" -- Esther Dyson "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" -- Arthur C. Clarke "You Gotta Believe" - Frank "Tug" McGraw (1944 - 2004 RIP) John F. McMullen johnmac () acm org johnmac () computer org johnmac () m-net arbornet org johnmac () tmail com johnmac () panix com johnmac () echonyc com jmcmullen () monroecollege edu johnmac () alumni iona edu ICQ: 4368412 Skype, AIM & Yahoo Messenger: johnmac13 http://www.westnet.com/~observer ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- more on Andrew Greeley: Academic Freedom -- What Good Is It? David Farber (Feb 16)