Lefty Academics

[Duerre]

Hi parents, I just want to vent and get reactions/advice!

I attend a top liberal arts college in the Northeast, and while I thought I would have the opportunity to be around a diverse group of students with many perspectives and opinions, I could not have been more mistaken. I have had to carefully conceal my conservative views in order to avoid serious grade, job, and social consequences (and keeping my mouth shut has never been a strong point!) There is a restrictive intellectual fashion here, and failure to conform to it means one is ostracized and treated as a pariah. It's ironic that the "liberal" and "intellectual" atmosphere my school supposedly promotes is so stifling that it forces conservative students to remain silent rather than suffer attacks on their intelligence and beliefs. I'm sick of professors' irrelevant diatribes, and sick of a campus that claims to be diverse while grossly misrepresenting the real world. It's truly disturbing that young adults are thrust into an academic environment where all the people in power share the same basic perspective and worldview, where there's essentially no intelligent political debate because most liberals can't stand to consider a different point of view. Conservative students who have dared to be themselves have had their rooms vandalized and their posters ripped down. Students who don't support anything less than totally unrestricted access to abortion and same-sex marriage are unable to speak about their views at all. It's unthinkable that a woman would choose to stay home with her children rather than work. People with no understanding of economics unthinkingly accept leftist economic thought.

Also, the best colleges reputation wise tend to be the most uniform in their liberal views, so the brightest minds, the people who will have a big impact, spend their college lives not being exposed to alternative viewpoints and serve as a captive audience for academics to indoctrinate.

It's a sad, sinister situation and I think it explains a lot about what's wrong with our society today.

[emeraldkity4]

I think that college should be a place to discuss and be exposed to ideas that come from a different perspective.
They however, need to be presented in a way that is thoughtful and not in your face.
I think that vandals should be punished whatever their political views, does your school not have an honor code or student judicial board?

Are you looking for alternative college suggestions or what are you asking?
There are colleges that are more moderate- but depending on your major you may run into more liberal profs.

This resource has info about conservative or at least more moderate politically colleges
Sowell: Choosing a College Table of Contents

[curmudgeon]

You registered to post that? That top Northestern liberal arts colleges have a lot of liberals , both faculty and students? And you are surprised?

Well hang onto your hat then, I've got some more that will absolutely blow your mind.

The GLBT organization at Bob Jones is not well funded by the school.
Iggy Pop has not been given an honorary degree by Hampden-Sydney.
Liberty University art students are prohibited from painting anatomically correct nudes in class.
Pepperdine, BYU and Baylor don't pass out condoms at orientation.

I know. The mind boggles, don't it?

[curmudgeon]

Now, as to the vandalism and property destruction - call a local cop. A crime is a crime is a crime and needs to be pursued posthaste.

[jonri]

I call troll.

I am familiar with some top colleges. The profs are generally liberal. They also go out of their way to let conservative students talk in class because they enjoy an argument. If you can't back up your points, they will slice and dice you. If you can, they will write glowing rec's for you and often ask if you want to help with research.

My D is in her mid-20s. A good friend, who is very conservative, was a Rhodes scholar. His glowing recs were written by liberal profs. He worked for one during college. He has since written a book, which was published by a university press --rare at his age. He wants to be an academic eventually, but is doing some other things along the way. Believe me, he will have NO trouble getting a job because for every person who might try to block his appointment because of his views, there will be three fighting to have a different viewpoint on campus.

He is an extreme, but not isolated example. It helps that he is brilliant.

Once, in a seminar my kid took, the prof asked how the students felt about some public policy. The prof asked all those in favor to raise their hands. My kid actually wasn't sure whether she favored it or not, so she didn't raise a hand. He then asked who opposed it. Not a hand went up...until hers did. She knew the prof wanted an argument. She obliged.

Vote at end of class? She'd convinced all but one of the other students in the class to change positions. Think that prof knew who she was now? Think that prof wanted to silence her? NO.

If posters were vandalized, file a complaint. Years ago, at one top school, liberals threw out all the copies of a conservative campus paper's freshmen special issue. The culprits were caught--and punished severely. The college paid the cost of reprinting the issue--and it's probable that more freshmen read it than would have without the publicity.

Almost every top college has a chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ, a Catholic Chaplain, and a group of Mormon students. I've never known any to keep their mouths shut about their beliefs. I read several different campus dailies. All of them have at least one political conservative as a columnist.

If you are not a troll, you need to grow up. Yes, some students will treat you like a pariah. So what? So, open your mouth if you aren't a troll.....

[newmassdad]

Maybe the OP is saying they take the title Liberal Arts too seriously? Maybe the OP thought they were kidding about the liberal part?

Seriously, maybe the OP should stop and listen a bit more, especially because painting issues so broadly as "liberal" and "conservative" tells me that someone has a complete lack of understanding about what these labels mean, and worse, that much discussion of complex problems fits neither of these labels.

Take U. Chicago's approach to economic and legal issues, and their love of free markets. To say this is a conservative approach shows a complete lack of understanding for what these folks are really saying.

[citygirlsmom]

It makes one wonder, doesn't why the top schools appear to some to be liberal- with all that good education, amazing professors, excellent programs, wonderful connections, high paying jobs....what are they wrong?

oh yes, they aren't conservative enough for some...

wonder what these schools, who some percieve as too liberal are just doing so well, are so respected, people pretty much do anyhitng to get into them, they have thriving for years, wonder what makes them so great....hmmmm

[ejr1]

Just don't think that this is only at NE colleges. I went to a small, midwestern private college ITD, and my grade was lowered because I argued with my professor and his pronouncements from on high (I had the research to back up my position) and he didn't want to hear it. I was wrong, no matter what. I remember a Contemporary American History Exam in HS in which I answered a question with: You said that this is the ________, but I believe that it is the ______ because. At least that teacher gave me an A. It is the same except in a small percentage of schools, where the liberal view is not accepted. D told me that she has written things she doesn't believe in, because she didn't want her grade to suffer. Things haven't changed in 40 years, they aren't going to change for a long time. I, too, agree that in academia, the discussion of all views is necessary. But for some profs, having that captive audience makes them audacious and they see it as a pulpit for their beliefs. Hang in there, do what you have to do, and when you graduate, go to grad school and then write a book based on your beliefs.

[menloparkmom]

"It's a sad, sinister situation and I think it explains a lot about what's wrong with our society today."
Oh pulleeeese! The actions of some immature college students represent "what's wrong with our society today?" Does that explain global warming? The financial melt down? The decision to invade Iraq instead of Afghanistan? Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[owlice]

:: biting my fingers, biting my fingers, lest I feed a troll ::

Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch!!!!!!!

[goaliedad]

Not sure what this is doing in the Parent forum (mods can now move it to the Cafe), but my thoughts are.

1) You are learning life lesson 101. The inmates do run the asylum. Been that way forever. As you noticed the liberals run the NE LACs, while the reactionary right runs the religious oriented institutions. And it seems that you have figured out that when you are in a different company, keeping your mouth shut is a critical life skill. You will go far in this world.

2) Local law enforcement will not help. It is mostly present to control abberant (to the local culture) behavior, not provide a level playing field for all. Please see local police actions during the Civil Rights movement and the current Iraqi police force for other examples.

3) Outside correction is entirely dependent upon the level of interest (what's in it for me? or I've been just dying to beat up these guys anyway) of the outside party. Note that there is not a line of nations waiting to go into Darfur to make things fair there, as there is no oil there, nor do nations hold a grudge or affinity towards/against either side. Hand wringing is always an option.

Sorry about the sarcasm and the political commentary (which will certainly get this thread moved to the Cafe), but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you were trying to wrap your head around why things work this way. In the event that you were trying to stir outrage, you get a giant yawn here too.

[goaliedad]

Laughing at (and along with) Owlice...

[Duerre]

I'm not a troll, just frustrated. Maybe you would be too if you were in a conservative environment --I guess it's always hard to be in the minority. It's true that I've learned a lot about the liberal perspective from being here, and it has made me more secure in my beliefs.

Just curious, how many of you are from the NE or California, or some other liberal place?

[curmudgeon]

Just curious, how many of you are from the NE or California, or some other liberal place?

Texas, but I do have to admit - I'm originally from South Georgia.

FWIW I was a 10%er at my school , too. Just the other way. We relished in it. You pick your battles but you don't have to pick your friends based on their politics. I never have. There are certainly others like you at your school. I'd be checking the religious organizations on campus, maybe Young ...<cough, cough> Republicans (EeeeeEWWW. That felt sticky. ). Good luck.

[goaliedad]

Not a conservative, not a liberal. A Cynic here. Went to a well-known top Public known for its "free speech movement" in the 1960s that whose students routinely shout down any Republican who dares to speak on campus (fully allowed by the administration). Makes your LAC look like Bob Jones, trust me.

The experience was good for me. It made me realize that most political activity is about getting people who don't see the world as you do to look at it your way. Unfortunately, the true believers on both sides of the spectrum seem to shout the loudest and in the end get so caught up in their self-rightousness that they fall victim to the very blindness they accuse their opponents of having.

It has also allowed me to let go of my own convictions and analyze the motivations of others more carefully. Hence my cynicism.

Sorry to hear that your experience has reaffirmed your own conservative convictions. You should always analytically question your own beliefs as it keeps you from joining those rigid folks conducting this battle from both sides.

Fascism exists on both ends of the political spectrum.