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No, there aren't, actually. What laws or rules are there against telling a student they didn't "earn" their place at the university? What rules or laws are there against approaching a student of color and assuming they're from the ghetto and could answer questions about ghetto life that came up in a sociology class?
Let's not forget that many, perhaps most, students entering college are venturing out on their own for the first time in life; this is the first time many have been away from the cocoon of family for a prolonged period. They can be vulnerable, shy, and may be bringing some difficult emotional issues with them. They're not equipped at age 17, 18, 19 to have a tough hide and to roll with the punches. They are, in fact, still teens, not adults yet. College isn't a place where punches should be thrown, anyway, whether verbal or physical. How are they to build confidence in themselves if they're having to navigate a sometimes hostile environment? College is supposed to help build people up, not tear them down, or put them on edge.
In any case, many college administrators have decided that it's a priority to create an accepting environment for all. Colleges are recruiting a more diverse student body than ever before, so they're being confronted with this type of concern. I think we should trust the administrators to know what's best for their institution, and for the students in their charge, now that they're finally responding to generations of students' grievances in this arena.
Welcome to reality, Ruth4Truth. We don't live in a padded/protected/everything is smooth and easy and rainbows and unicorns and everyone will like or accept me/you/anyone else in life. The people I knew, the vast majority of fellow students, and myself when I went to college in the mid/late 80's somehow came out well adjusted, adapted, and didn't melt and turn into crying masses of "I can't deal with it!" types. We dealt with it like previous generations have done. Yet this "ouch" and "oops" type mentality that is fairly new, ultra protective parenting, etc is sending young adults in droves to the psychologist chair in droves with anxiety issues, can't deal with reality/life, etc.
The irony is right out there what this ultra protective mentality is doing, front and center.
An unprepared/naive class of "adults" who are sheltered from reality and can't deal with reality/the real world.
OP, these articles don't relate to the topic at hand at all. Furthermore, I'm not going to engage in millennial-bashing. All I can tell you is that the concerns raised in your OP article link have been around a very long time, and that in past generations, the aggrieved students simply sucked it up, for 4 years, or longer if they went to grad school. This meant that resentment festered, and could have negative affects on mental or physical health, as well as on scholastic achievement. This new initiative, IMO, is a way of letting students know that they can speak up; they no longer have to silently endure ignorant or hostile comments.
And good for you for being considerate, and avoiding behavior that might cause an "ouch". And of course you're right that parents of students who offend others didn't raise their kids right, but there are all kinds of people out in the world, each with their own vision of what raising a child "right" is. Furthermore, any of us can make a mistake, due to not being well-informed enough to see the world through others' eyes. We all go through a learning curve in college, and post-college. I learned through mistakes, too. If someone doesn't say "ouch", we'll continue our clueless ways, and a learning opportunity will be lost. Society will not advance if learning doesn't take place.
OP, these articles don't relate to the topic at hand at all. Furthermore, I'm not going to engage in millennial-bashing. All I can tell you is that the concerns raised in your OP article link have been around a very long time, and that in past generations, the aggrieved students simply sucked it up, for 4 years, or longer if they went to grad school. This meant that resentment festered, and could have negative affects on mental or physical health, as well as on scholastic achievement. This new initiative, IMO, is a way of letting students know that they can speak up; they no longer have to silently endure ignorant or hostile comments.
And good for you for being considerate, and avoiding behavior that might cause an "ouch". And of course you're right that parents of students who offend others didn't raise their kids right, but there are all kinds of people out in the world, each with their own vision of what raising a child "right" is. Furthermore, any of us can make a mistake, due to not being well-informed enough to see the world through others' eyes. We all go through a learning curve in college, and post-college. I learned through mistakes, too. If someone doesn't say "ouch", we'll continue our clueless ways, and a learning opportunity will be lost. Society will not advance if learning doesn't take place.
I think the articles get to the heart of the topic at hand, 101%.....parents and institutions coddling kids/through young adults to not address the real world, sheltering them from experiences that aren't always pleasant and thinking that safe words like "ouch" will work and be answered with an "oops". It's actually sad and pathetic what is suggested as "solutions" posed by a college here in the world of "oops" and "ouch" and does indeed breed anxiety prone/ill prepared people for adulthood as the real world doesn't operate in such a linear/black and white utopian fashion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
Hey, you're the one that said there were laws and rules against people speaking offensively.
Yes, rules against discrimination against race, sex,religion, etc. Indeed.
Welcome to reality, Ruth4Truth. We don't live in a padded/protected/everything is smooth and easy and rainbows and unicorns and everyone will like or accept me/you/anyone else in life. The people I knew, the vast majority of fellow students, and myself when I went to college in the mid/late 80's somehow came out well adjusted, adapted, and didn't melt and turn into crying masses of "I can't deal with it!" types. We dealt with it like previous generations have done. Yet this "ouch" and "oops" type mentality that is fairly new, ultra protective parenting, etc is sending young adults in droves to the psychologist chair in droves with anxiety issues, can't deal with reality/life, etc.
The irony is right out there what this ultra protective mentality is doing, front and center.
Hey, you're the one that said there were laws and rules against people speaking offensively.
You're now conflating helicopter-parented students who can't cope with balancing work, studies, and laundry to the issue in your OP, which is unrelated. If you want to rant about Millennials, start a thread in the Non-Romantic Relationships forum. (But I think they already have one of those going on.)
The issue raised in your OP is related to colleges, including elite private ones, recruiting more minority students than ever before, and reaching out to those with some degree of disability, as well. It's about college recruitment efforts and how colleges are handling the results of increased student diversity. At least they're making an effort; they didn't used to bother, or see the need for it.
It's a way to tell students it's ok to speak up for yourself instead of remaining silent and putting up with offensive remarks. It's opening the door to good communication skills.
LOL! I had to spend the day with my ex husband and our kids today. In preparation I reminded myself repeatedly that if he said something hurtful or derogatory (as he has been known to do) even in a teasing way, my response would be "Ouch!" In the past I've learned that if I try to come back at him he takes pleasure in baiting me further and entering into our old uncomfortable dialogues. But if I say "ouch" and maybe "that was unnecessarily hurtful" he can't come up with much of a response.
I'm happy to say we got through our day of familial obligation without one single snarky comment. He was well behaved.
"We" equals mankind, college age supposed adults learning to deal with the nice and no so nice things in life that each and everyone of us needs to learn and accept as reality as there's not always a "safe space"/"solution" using ineffective/naive methods. And part of growing up/acting like an adult is to understand the reality that outside of bubbles in life, ie institutions, there will be rude people saying rude things that we all just have to learn to deal with, not "fixing" it with silly cookbook kindergarten like "ouch"/"oops". Controlling the uncontrollable. And teaching silly phrases can control it all is beyond naive and unhealthy to say the least for proper adult development. These are adults now, not kindergarten children, and need to deal with problems in non-kindergarten/child like "solutions"/ways. And yes, there are of course points if someone is getting harassed actions should be taken against such people(laws/protections already exist) but I think dealing with all of this in a kindergarten/naive type manner helps no one. And not healthy for proper adult development in dealing with the reality that life doesn't exist in a protective bubble.
I can tell you this....many young adults are having big time trouble dealing with reality because they have been so coddled with these type of protectionist views/the application of it. This is the reality of what this is breeding and a big part of it is this generation is being coddled and sheltered to realty and when they get out in the workplace, in society, they don't know how to deal with it all and end up with lots of problems:
Steve, I agree with all your points in this thread. College safe spaces are stupid. Most college students are legal adults (except for a small minority of 17 year old freshmen), and they should be able to deal with a conflicting view or a minor insult tossed in their direction. Our parents and grandparents had to face conflicting views and insults all the time in their adolescent and emerging adult years, and they actually had a pair, got through it, and turned out fine. They didn't have any of this "safe space, where everyone agrees with you and treats you perfectly" crap, and they turned out fine.
Plain and simple, adversity is part of going through life, whether you like it or not. And if colleges are forcing their students (who, last I checked, are mostly 18-23 years old, not 8-13) into this sort of nonsense program, as you said, this is why millennials are so narcissistic, afraid to do anything or contribute to society, and so hypersensitive and immature it's insane. And I think Generation Z, of whom the oldest members will be entering college in just a few short years, will do even worse in life.
OP was not referring to insensitive racial or sexist remarks.....goes without saying that those are unacceptable.
OP was referring to the whining students of today who are so coddled and protected from real life that they cannot accept any thought or word that does not agree with their view of the world.
Last edited by toosie; 03-18-2017 at 07:38 AM..
Reason: Don't introduce politics please
After edits - please remember to leave politics out of this and other threads at Current Events.
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If someone doesn't say "ouch", we'll continue our clueless ways, and a learning opportunity will be lost. Society will not advance if learning doesn't take place.
