INSTRUCTOR B. An instructor in a course on "Jews in the Twentieth
Century" assigns such anti-semitic materials as "The Protocols of the
Elders of Zion," as well as various Zionist writings. It becomes clear,
despite his best efforts, that he dislikes Jews personally and as a
group, but he also seems to make an effort to present a variety of
viewpoints. On his final exam, one question asks, "What arguments did
the Nazi's make for their anti-semitic policies?" There is no evidence
that he treats Jewish students badly, and he allows harsh criticism of
anti-semitism to be made in class.
INSTRUCTOR A. An instructor in a course on "Threats and Workplace
Safety" uses the course to advocate his view that there should be an
independent Palestinian state. A full six course sessions are devoted
to this, preceded and followed by more mundane sessions on how to
respond to false bomb threats, good evacuation procedures, sexual
harassment, and such things. The instructor make his bias clear, but
tells students that the material will not be on the final exam, so they
need not worry if they disagree with his views. The Palestinian
material itself is scholarly, and moderate in tone, but is clearly one-
sided.
I have heard that there exists a substantial number of professors of the "professors
can do no wrong" school of academic freedom--- that even in a case in which a professor
went beyond Instructor A and taught only gardening in a course on American history,
academic freedom should protect him from criticism (or, at least, from being removed
from teaching the course--whether they think the penalty of collegial criticism should
be applied is less clear). If anybody knows of a written defense of such a position,
please let me know.
[in full at 04.02.23a.htm . Erasmusen@yahoo.com. ]
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