<p>Stipulated. My D got a taste of that when her HS English teacher dinged her for taking the position that Barbie dolls do not represent a serious affront to feminism. (Barbie/Ken count at our house reached a high of 37.)</p>
<p>But it’s hard to imagine very many schools, regardless of where their faculty are clumped along the political spectrum, being consistently and routinely intolerant. Maybe I have more faith in academia than other people do. I’ll say this: I did quite well at the University of Nebraska as long as I draped myself in the (Big) Red Flag. And, at the University of Texas, everything was jake as long as I genuflected to the statue of Bevo once a week.</p>
<p>I think it would be very individual whether someone could enjoy themselves where they felt they were stiffled in the classroom/their papers. Some students garner a great deal of their college “enjoyment” from activities outside the classroom–clubs, dorms, frats, etc. </p>
<p>I’ve known different individuals who would feel both extremes on writing papers agreeing w/ the prof viewpoint–hey, who cares, it doesn’t matter in life’s grand scheme, I want an A, I’ll write what they want to hear, or I’m going to write what I believe whether or not there are repurcussions. I’m sure my S went both ways, depending on the day and mood. For many, I’m not sure it would change the level they “enjoyed” college all that much. Hopefully it wouldn’t be all of one’s profs, anyway.</p>
<p>Not my experience at all. Most of my professors couldn’t have cared less about sports, and very few of them were from Texas, much less were they alums with burnt orange blood.</p>
<p>Oh, dear. I forgot to add the snark symbol! That was not my experience at UT either. Nor at the University of Nebraska, where I survived (nay, thrived) without once going to a football game. I was kidding.</p>
<p>My SIL forbade baby dolls/toy kitchen appliances and implements, for children of either sex, on the grounds that they promoted stereotypes (SIL: way to devalue “women’s” work!! :)) and allowed barbie - though only the career versions. ;)</p>
<p>Although I am enjoying the interesting professorial stereotypes this morning, that conversation isn’t half as much fun imho - of course, ymmv</p>
<p>My kids had opposite experience when they were in high schools. A lot of their teachers and students were Republicans and conservative. D1 had a hard time with one of her history teacher during the Bush era. Every time D1 had a different point of view (very well thought out), her teacher would shoot her down. D1 still managed to get a good grade in that course. </p>
<p>To get back to what Bay was saying, our kids were challenged of their non religious upbring and their liberal views while they were in K-12. It made them think hard about their beliefs. They often came home to tell us, “This is what our teacher or friend said about this…” H and I ´don´t always agree on politics, so we would both offer our views. D2 was pro-life from 6-9th grade. She and D2 had few interesting debates at our dinner table.</p>
<p>Re Barbie: It is certainly possible to argue that Barbie dolls do not represent a serious affront to feminism – and M.G. Lord, a dyed-in-the-wool feminist, often does that in one of the books reviewed in the article linked by alh. But if I were an English teacher, I would certainly “ding” a student who argued that without addressing the feminist critique of Barbie effectively, just as I would “ding” a student who parroted the standard feminist line without using evidence effectively or responding to other points of view.</p>
<p>My guess is, if absweetmarie talked to the teacher about her daughter’s paper, she would hear a number of reasons why the paper got graded the way it did that had nothing to do with which side of the political fence it came down on.</p>
<p>My theory on these types of experiences is that they don’t necessarily change the student’s point of view, they just make teachers and academia look bad.</p>
<p>One benefit of being a conservative with a “NE god-less liberal” elite college degree, is that people have a tougher time arguing that your viewpoint is based on ignorance, or something like that.</p>
<p>I find it plausible a HS paper was graded down for the “wrong” feminist slant. Maybe you could just summarize her arguments, absweetmarie? Is she familiar with the Lord book?</p>
<p>I just looked at wikipedia and Lord, M. G. (2004).* Forever Barbie: the unauthorized biography of a real doll.* New York: Walker & Co… ISBN 978-0-8027-7694-5 is listed there in Further Reading so I don’t think it is an obscure source for discussing Barbie.</p>
<p>alh, I still have my Barbie and Barbie case and alot of original clothes. So, what did I do? Have 2 boys! Maybe I’ll have a granddaughter some day !</p>
<p>^^I not only have one of the very first Barbies, in the original case, but an extensive, completely original wardrobe hand sewn by two extremely talented women sort of competing for Best Grandmother title.</p>
<p>WOW! I wish I had saved my Barbies (loved them), but I am the opposite of a hoarder. I go on tears where I purge the house of “stuff;” from time to time I regret it later.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4,My late mother threw out my original Barbie game while I was away at college without asking me first. I was not happy. I’m not really a hoarder with these kinds of things but I’m glad I did keep a few things. I gave away/donated lots of son’s toys and books but did keep a few things in case I have grandchildren some day-Legos,some Brio, some wooden puzzles and the very favorite books.</p>