Professor denied free speech

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

This is something I'd expect to happen on a loony lefty campus like Rutgers or Harvard, not at SHU.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/stude...on-hall-professor-for-controversial-comments/

 

[Merge]

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussion. He is free to say whatever he wants but he is not free from any fallback related to saying something stupid and offensive about the students he was employed to teach.

 

[SPK145]

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussion. He is free to say whatever he wants but he is not free from any fallback related to saying something stupid and offensive about the students he was employed to teach.

Agreed but to think this creates an unsafe environment is just stupid and equally inflammatory.

Works all ways too.

 

[shuvrp]

A college is supposed to be a place of free expression and thought. As long as this professor backs up the claim "of group x is comparable to the KKK" with evidence, and isn't just attacking them without merit, I see no reason why group x can't counter the professor's claims in a rational manner without complaining about "danger" or getting the professor fired.

Group x - in this case the Concerned 44 - are ranking their freedom of thought over the freedom of thought of the professor.

 

[Stevie_H]

A college is supposed to be a place of free expression and thought. As long as this professor backs up the claim "of group x is comparable to the KKK" with evidence, and isn't just attacking them without merit, I see no reason why group x can't counter the professor's claims in a rational manner without complaining about "danger" or getting the professor fired.

Group x - in this case the Concerned 44 - are ranking their freedom of thought over the freedom of thought of the professor.

While I don't know the particulars of this situation, it sounds symptomatic of current trends on campuses I read about in this book - Amazon product ASIN 0735224897

 

[Merge]

For context - It was an anonymous blog post written by the professor which has since been deleted but I copied the cached version below.

While there is some truth to what he says, I don't agree with a lot of it and I don't think I would want to employ a teacher calling any of my students a group of entitled, ignorant bigots.

"My university has finally entered the social justice wars with the student group calling itself the Concerned 44 – named after the supposedly forty-four percent of the students who are “people of color”. They have demands. They will either have their demands met or they will protest some more. Their demands include a role for themselves in governing the university and are racist to their core including hiring based on race. I have no idea why Seton Hall University’s administration is coddling this group of entitled, ignorant bigots, but it probably has something to do with optics and Seton Hall being a tuition-driven institution. But the larger phenomenon is something that requires a more detailed response: how professors are creating this group of misguided students’ views.



Young adults come to the colleges and universities like Seton Hall like sponges. They are open-minded, eager to learn, and, to a greater or lesser extent, malleable in their world-view. In other words, they come vulnerable to “wokeness” – the concept that the indoctrination they are getting is actually helping them to see the real world. The goal of this indoctrination in neo-Marxist theory, over-simplifications, propaganda, and outright lies about the US and the world’s history and current affairs is to prepare the students to be social justice activists. And, just in case you think I am exaggerating or propagandizing myself, please check out the links to the Africana Studies Program, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Diversity requirement in the Arts & Science core for undergraduates that are the sources of much of the Concerned 44’s protest below. This is their language, not mine. It is no coincidence that these students and their ilk have the same talking points as BLM, Antifa, and Democratic Socialists. They are getting it in their college and university courses.



This ideology of oppression, resistance, and division of the world into good v. evil is clearly not education, but indoctrination. The dogmas of the wage gap, disproportionate imprisonment, and transgenderism, etc., must be accepted as truth, cannot be questioned, and are received wisdom. In short, this way of thinking taught across the curriculum is a religion. Unlike Catholicism, which places a dividing line between science and faith, intellectual inquiry and theology, and reason and faith, the neo-Marxist worldview brooks no separation. Even biology is subject to harsh criticism as Eurocentric, white male, imperialism. Again, I am not characterizing or otherwise altering their language. These are almost word for word and part of all of the assigned readings. Even the philosophy department is offering a course for the spring on “Feminist Theories” with the course description promoting the course’s purpose in training the students for activism.



The Concerned 44’s demands are entirely taken from what these twenty or so students learned from an adjunct in the Africana Studies program. This adjunct abused his authority as their instructor to radicalize his students into thinking that the West stole its knowledge from Africa, that any teacher who was not of his views was a Eurocentric exploiter of Africa, and that the Africana Studies program should only be taught by Africans or those of African descent. Moreover, he taught that the university wrongfully dismissed and frustrated his plans for the program because they were racist. Actually, none of this is true. He was dismissed because not all of his students liked his use of foul language, intemperate rants, and confrontational teaching style. When the director of the program met with him to discuss these students’ concerns, he threatened, verbally abused, and physically intimidated her. Quite rightfully, she did not offer him another course.



The Concerned 44 do not know or care about these facts. They also demonstrate a lack of information about how universities staff their courses. Their demands reflect this misguided, ill-informed, and entitled view. They want only Africana studies doctorates to teach in the program. They want a hiring program to increase the “black and brown” membership of the faculty to reflect the supposed “black and brown” forty-four percent of the student body. (Actually, the student body is only twenty-five percent African-American and Latino/a with another five percent from the Middle East or of Middle Eastern descent with the rest Asian or Asian-American, a group the Concerned 44 do not care about. Once again, one has to wonder about the inability to do basic math. They included Asian and Asian American students as “black and brown” but ignored them for calculating “people of color” on the faculty.) They also want a significant role in the hiring process and development of curricula despite their not having even undergraduate degrees.



All of these demands are based on racist premises or charges of racism. (Project much?) The idea that the faculty should represent the student population is absurd on its face. Faculty by the nature of their jobs have to be older and possess advanced degrees. It is simply not possible to have that population be the same ones as the student population that attends Seton Hall University: lots of students who will enter the professions and business, but only a minuscule number who will be able academically, or interested in entering academia. (Quite frankly with good reason. Academic jobs pay far less and our graduates have some of the highest average debt in the nation.)



The other idea is that “black and brown” students cannot learn from instructors who are not “black and brown”. In effect, the Concerned 44 are alleging that “black and brown” students are so racist they cannot relate or accept the word of someone who is not their skin color. As usual, replace “black and brown” with white and vice versa, and you cannot tell the difference between the Concerned 44 and the Ku Klux Klan. These ideas are a fundamental rejection of everything that Seton Hall University stands for and is attempting to do.



The one positive that readily comes to mind is that the Concerned 44 are a very small proportion of our overall student population. The other 99% of students at Seton Hall University, who do not support the Concerned 44, are not bigoted, are open-minded, and are dedicated to getting an education, not imposing entitled, ignorant views on the university. It is for them that I am most concerned. They are sacrificing a lot to be here. They deserve better than ill-conceived, ill-informed indoctrination and an administration catering to these would-be revolutionaries."

 

[SPK145]

Wow, that professor is right on, mic drop. A real summary of what's wrong with education today.

 

[afghan whigs]

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussion. He is free to say whatever he wants but he is not free from any fallback related to saying something stupid and offensive about the students he was employed to teach.

Some snowflakes got offended by a professors blog. Time for these kids to grow up. You don't have a right to go through life never being offended. Its totally absurd.

 

[Merge]

Some snowflakes got offended by a professors blog. Time for these kids to grow up. You don't have a right to go through life never being offended. Its totally absurd.

I don't disagree. The kids do have some growing up to do.

Although, maybe the professor was a bit quick to get so easily offended as well by 20 out of 6,000 kids and cast it as a generational indoctrination issue?

 

[seton1996]

I don't disagree. The kids do have some growing up to do.

Although, maybe the professor was a bit quick to get so easily offended as well by 20 out of 6,000 kids and cast it as a generational indoctrination issue?

It seems he was commenting on the group, not the student body in general or some particular race of people, but just the believes and views of the Concerned 44. That is pretty clear from last paragraph to me.

 

[Merge]

It seems he was commenting on the group, not the student body in general or some particular race of people, but just the believes and views of the Concerned 44. That is pretty clear from last paragraph to me.

"But the larger phenomenon is something that requires a more detailed response: how professors are creating this group of misguided students’ views."

Right, he is taking something from 0.3% if the SHU student body and making it out to be part of a larger phenomenon. As if we have never in history had groups of students that are immature?

 

[cernjSHU]

I have no idea why his views are considered hate speech by this group. I think we have young kids who want any reason to protest. Instead of protesting, you should have open dialogue with opposing views. Is this not the essence of expanding your mind in college? I may not agree with everything he says but some things are certainly valid arguments. People need to realize that just because a person disagrees with your views does not make it hate. It is just sometimes a difference of opinion.

 

[Merge]

I have no idea why his views are considered hate speech by this group. I think we have young kids who want any reason to protest. Instead of protesting, you should have open dialogue with opposing views. Is this not the essence of expanding your mind in college? I may not agree with everything he says but some things are certainly valid arguments. People need to realize that just because a person disagrees with your views does not make it hate. It is just sometimes a difference of opinion.

Right, but I think the far majority of kids get that but social media amplifies these stories up to where people feel like what is happening in college now is vastly different than what we experienced when we all went. I'm not really convinced it's that much different.

 

[SPK145]

I have no idea why his views are considered hate speech by this group. I think we have young kids who want any reason to protest. Instead of protesting, you should have open dialogue with opposing views. Is this not the essence of expanding your mind in college? I may not agree with everything he says but some things are certainly valid arguments. People need to realize that just because a person disagrees with your views does not make it hate. It is just sometimes a difference of opinion.

Excellent take.

Hope all is working out for you after the drastic changes in your place of employment.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from repercussion. He is free to say whatever he wants but he is not free from any fallback related to saying something stupid and offensive about the students he was employed to teach.

The students should also be aware they are not free from repercussions. This is a non issue. Students disagree with their professor. Escalating a disagreement and making into a negative scene of Seton Hall University should have repercussions. It takes 2 to tango.

 

[Merge]

The students should also be aware they are not free from repercussions. This is a non issue. Students disagree with their professor. Escalating a disagreement and making into a negative scene of Seton Hall University should have repercussions. It takes 2 to tango.

Of course. Absolutely agree... Just pointing out that the title of this thread was not correct.

 

[Pirata]

Saw this in our paper this morning. The writer is not referring to Concerned44, but to today's protesters in general.

I think her point about the exaggerated use of the word "hate" is valid.

https://pages.pagesuite.com/6/9/699b675d-970c-43a3-90cb-ef6ca409eeab/orig.pdf

 

[cernjSHU]

Excellent take.

Hope all is working out for you after the drastic changes in your place of employment.

I’m good. No change with me. Thank you for asking.

 

[HALL85]

Right, but I think the far majority of kids get that but social media amplifies these stories up to where people feel like what is happening in college now is vastly different than what we experienced when we all went. I'm not really convinced it's that much different.

What’s different is that social media and technology has had a significant impact on today’s behavior. When something happens today it is seen by potentially thousands or millions and in seconds or minutes. Technology is also delaying the maturity and development of independence of our youth. Kids are entering college with if you were real life experiences....driving, dating, working, experimenting, etc. They are less prepared to deal with conflict and debate. They have to grow up sometime and enabling this type of behavior only delays their development even further.

 

[Pirata]

I suspect many of you never heard of this event. Back in the day there were some seriously radical and violent protesters. For those not familiar with Mark Rudd (from NJ), he was a household name back in the 70s. He was part of the Weather Underground and linked to the Greenwich Village bombing.

This famous protest at Columbia University started over the building of a gymnasium and also had links to the Vietnam War.

 

[afghan whigs]

This is what happens when entitled kids move into the real world.



Guy Who Blew $4,000 Lowering His Car Is Demanding His Town Pay Because He Can't Drive Over Speed Bumps to Get to Work

© Screenshot:
Have you ever had one of those moments where some embarrassing memory launches into your mind, unbidden and unwanted, and you spend several painful moments reliving your own shame and misery? I’m guessing that such moments may become common in Christopher Fitzgibbon’s future, and I’m guessing the moments he’ll painfully reflect on will all revolve around the time he tried to get a village to pay him because he lowered his car so much he could no longer drive in his own town.

Yes, 23-year-old Fitzgibbon spent about $3,800 to lower his Volkswagen Passat so the car now only has four inches of ground clearance, and the result of doing so is that he can no longer take his usual route to work through the village of Galbally in Limerick, Ireland, because the village has installed six-inch high speed bumps on various roads in the town.

These speed bumps mean Fitzgibbon had to remap his route to work, telling the Daily Mail:

“That’s an extra 30 miles a day, 150 miles a week, 600 miles a month, and 7,000 miles a year - all because of speed bumps that are too high for my car.”

Fitzgibbon also claims to have incurred around $2,500 worth of damage to his Passat by driving over the traffic calming humps, and he wants the village to pay for it.

The village seems to be taking the stance where they would prefer Fitzgibbon to quit it.

Fitzgibbon described his interaction with the village’s road engineer like this:

“I complained about the first one for about six weeks and they basically responded to me with two fingers up and four more ramps in February. I went to the council office where the road engineer is based - but I got nothing back but physical and verbal abuse and intimidation.

"The road engineer was so mad with me. He kept pushing me about, telling me I had no effing right to be here and who the eff was I to come in and complain.

"I’ll never forget, he called me ‘frivolous’ and ‘vexatious’.”

Yes, you can never really forget when someone calls you vexatious. That kind of thing lingers.

The Limerick City and County Council disputes that the speed bumps are six inches high, stating that they’re about half that height, just under three inches. The City and County Council has engaged lawyers, and have stated that Fitzgibbon is

“... not to call their [City and County Council] offices as your activity is causing considerable disruption to the running of the business of the Council.”

Just think about what’s going on here; a guy lowers his car so much he can’t drive over fairly common and normal road features, and now it’s somehow everyone else’s fault. It gets even better when you hear how Fitzgibbon describes his predicament:

“I feel discriminated against because I’m driving a modified car - it’s lowered, so it’s four inches off the road - and I’m being denied my right to drive on these roads.”

He feels discriminated against. For willingly choosing to lower the hell out of his car. This poor victim was just trying to make his Passat “look fresh,” and the cruel, uncaring, discriminatory town deliberately chose to build traffic calming speed humps, likely knowing full well it would prevent that fresh Passat from driving over them, probably because they were all so jealous of just how fresh that sedan looked scraping along the road.

 

[Pirata]

He should just stick with fuzzy dice.

 

[Hall-line-forever]

And a couple of Springsteen cassettes