And one more thing before you read the letter, I have never heard of Chauntelle Alarie before that letter was printed. Either way, here's her letter
Letters to the Editor
November 07, 2003
Student voice stunted
Stuart Hayashi's, "Keep off-topic rants out of the classroom," really hit the nail on the head. Students pay this university to provide them with professors to teach information in their field, not profess opinions on out of class topics. When I was a freshman at this university five years ago, an incident similar to the abuse of power described by Hayashi happened to me (just in a different form).
My problem occurred in English 100. My class was told to write an opinion paper on any subject that we desired. I selected why Bill Clinton deserved to be impeached. I wrote all my reasons and the explanations for my beliefs. Proud of my work, I gave the paper to my professor. Apparently, my professor did not like my opinion on the subject. When my essay was returned, there were red words scribbled on every margin of every page and even on the free space on the last page.
I could not believe how poor my grammar skills were until I read what was written in that terrible red ink. The writing covering my paper were not corrections, they were my professor's opinions of why I was wrong to think the way I did about my topic. My professor wrote that my views were ridiculous and without merit. This professor could not believe I had the nerve to assign blame solely on the shoulder's of Bill Clinton and not Monica Lewinsky. I did not know what to make of the situation so I assumed my professor was simply engaging in some "friendly" debate.
The next incident that occurred changed my mind. I cannot recall what the topic of our essay was supposed to be, but I do remember the professor asking the students in class for their topic choices. When I was called, I said, "Abortion." Instead of moving on to the next student, my professor asked if I was going to be writing from a pro-choice or pro-life perspective. Stupidly, I responded with my true feelings on the subject and stated I was pro-life. The next thing I knew, my professor started accusing me of depriving women of choice and that I was probably just religious.
Then the professor called on three girls who raised their hands. She proceeded to allow the women to tell me I was wrong and could only think the way I did because religious people were against abortion and I must be religious. The only thing I was allowed to blurt out was that I was not religious. I was not afforded the ability to express my reasons for being pro-life before the professor decided it was time for the next student's topic choice. I walked out of that room knowing I would not write my paper on abortion and feeling embarrassed because everyone in the class probably thought I was some religion freak.
To the guy who acts as if some professors do not press their ideologies on students in classrooms, my letter is just more proof of a disturbing trend that has infected universities nationwide. You may say this story is false, but one thing remains true. There are many students at this university who are afraid to express their true opinions for fear of a professor's ability to ruin a stellar GPA.
Chauntelle Alarie
Junior
Political Science
Now my response to this letter
Alarie said Stuart Hayashi's, "Keep off-topic rants out of the classroom," really hit the nail on the head. Students pay this university to provide them with professors to teach information in their field, not profess opinions on out of class topics.
My response : Boo-ya! Amen! Bingo! This is the exact point I was trying to make in my recent editorial for which Tobin Jones gave me a scolding for. What is wrong with her point, Mr. Jones? Is it because the ethical profs aren't supplementing their topics with radical left propaganda? Hmm? Hmmm? Hmm? What some REFUSE to understand is that the students are paying hard earned $$$$ to get an education to get qulaified for better opportunites, NOT TO LISTEN TO SOME ARROGANT PRICK EXPRESSING HATRED FOR CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS, and NOT TO LISTEN TO SOME ARROGANT PRICK TELLING THE CLASS WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THE LATEST ISSUES OF THE DAY!
Anyways, Alarie said the prof punished her for believing Clinton should've been impeached. In my opinion, the whole Clinton impeachment was a waste of time. But should professors act as if their opinions are facts? NO! Should professors tell their students what to think about Clinton impeachment? NO! If I was a prof, I would've accepted Alarie's paper on Clinton's impeachment and just corrected the grammar, give credit for strong points, and ask for clarification on confusing points.
Alarie went on to say : The writing covering my paper were not corrections, they were my professor's opinions of why I was wrong to think the way I did about my topic. My professor wrote that my views were ridiculous and without merit
My response: Tobin might call this "supplementing" but I call this explicit indoctrination, very similar to the brainwashing "re-education camps" that the Vietnamese and North Korean communists used to punish non-communist thought! Unlike what Tobin believes, it is NOT the prof's job to tell anyone what to think about Clinton's impeachment, even though I think the whole media circus about Clinton-Monica hoo-ra was excessive, and a waste of time.
An English prof is supposed to (gasp) just correct grammar and to encourage clear expressions of ideas. I didn't mind if a prof corrected my paper's grammar. If he just did that, I would be OK with it. But a prof's arrogant attitude in conducting class and his excessive editorializing in class is unacceptable! ANd those who defend his conduct are ass kissers.
Anyways, back to Alarie's letter. She continued, saying When I was called, I said, "Abortion." Instead of moving on to the next student, my professor asked if I was going to be writing from a pro-choice or pro-life perspective. Stupidly, I responded with my true feelings on the subject and stated I was pro-life. The next thing I knew, my professor started accusing me of depriving women of choice and that I was probably just religious.
My response: If Tobin knew my actual view on abortion (I'm pro-choice) that would collapse his view of me being a "right-winger". I do disagree with the President's signing of the partial-birth abortion ban, and I dont give a shit if Tobin agrees or not! But the prof has ZERO business to tell a student to be pro-choice! A prof can join Planned Parenthood or the Right-to-Life Coalition on his/her own spare time, but the prof has ZERO business forcing his/her views in class!
Alarie continued on to say: Then the professor called on three girls who raised their hands. She proceeded to allow the women to tell me I was wrong and could only think the way I did because religious people were against abortion and I must be religious.
Any prof who allows a bunch of students to gang up on another student just for their viewpoint is super-unethical! A prof is supposed to (gasp) facilitate civilized discussion, not indoctorinate.
And here is Alarie's last paragraph addressed to (drumroll, please) Tobin Jones
To the guy who acts as if some professors do not press their ideologies on students in classrooms, my letter is just more proof of a disturbing trend that has infected universities nationwide. You may say this story is false, but one thing remains true. There are many students at this university who are afraid to express their true opinions for fear of a professor's ability to ruin a stellar GPA.
Tobin's denial of indoctorination at UH is similar to the neo-Nazi's denial of the Holocaust! Tobin doesn't mind if non-leftist students are intimidated by the politically correct thought police, because after all, he IS part of the politically correct thought police. Tobin wants to silence me, and is satisfied that I (gasp) had consideration for my classmates who didn't pay hard earned $$$ to hear me and the prof argue! But Tobin can't stop me from writing my thoughts, and writing is one way to go over the heads of arrogant profs and speak directly to students in their own time.
And yes, some students do fear for their GPA! One of my friends told me that his classmate never wrote a paper that disagreed with Tehranian's (American Studies prof) viewpoint, because he feared that she'll give him a low grade, and with a low grade, he would've lost his scholarship! These profs who claim to be for the poor and downtrodden, are the ones using their politically biased grading to intimidate those who rely on scholarships.
