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Old 01-13-2010, 05:11 AM
 
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The idea that universities are liberal indoctrination institutions sounds like a conspiracy theory to me, but even if there's some truth to it, what can conservatives do about it, if anything?
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:13 AM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
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oh but back to your hypothesis, why are most universities fileld with "liberals" (if in fact this is the case?). I'm from CT and went to a liberal arts college in NY state (OMG can you believe my republican parents let me do that?!) and was a government major (did my dad just not know?). Yes I came out of that school with a distinct opinion but it was not because any professor told me how to vote, actually I don't think there was really very much discussion of Democrat vs Republican at all. Here are some of the courses I took in my major: US Government, Comparative Governments, Congress, Political Theory, American Political Theory, Philosophy, Politics of the Soviet Union (this was in the late 80s), Politics and Govt of Southeast Asia, Communism, The Politics of TV. Basically a Poli Sci major at a liberal arts school is about OPEN MINDEDNESS and eliminating pre-concieved notions. Learning about what other countries and peoples have done and how it came about, what's working, what's not. As well as studying the roots of American political thought, studying the "founding fathers" in order to try to understand their perspectives and motivations. I left there believing that there is no "right" government system, they are all flawed, and that our US govt is nothing like what it was designed to be. I didn't vote on principal for about 10 yrs after graduating because I didn't believe having essentially two choices for President was acceptable.

Just one example of what happens when you go through a "liberal" institution and study government. So I have a very "liberal background", right? well I'm an independent, left leaning sure but I'm not a fan of tax and spend politics. I generally don't vote Republican because I'm vehemently pro-choice. I also prefer to vote for the individual, not the party, based on the issues of the day.

So, how does hold water with your arguement about indoctrination?
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:14 AM
 
69,368 posts, read 64,118,301 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twista6002 View Post
I've been in college longer than I'd like to admit and from my experience in terms of teaching slants it's

1/3 liberal
1/4 conservative
All the rest either neutral or bipartisan
I note how through all of your examples posted here, you didnt list ONE example of what a teacher did in your opinion to justify you calling them a conservative.

You've listed numerous liberal ones though... Why is that?
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:15 AM
 
Location: OUTTA SIGHT!
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Quote:
The idea that universities are liberal indoctrination institutions sounds like a conspiracy theory to me, but even if there's some truth to it, what can conservatives do about it, if anything?

Sounds like a circular argument to me considering you have to be educated to begin with in order to teach at a university and we already established that more educated people tend to be liberal.
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:16 AM
 
Location: Highland, CA (formerly Newark, NJ)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzpost View Post
Here is an article that has some info on the topic regarding most universities are liberal.

College Faculties A Most Liberal Lot, Study Finds (washingtonpost.com)
Being registered to one party and teaching in a biased fashion are different. A lot of these universities look down on Senior professors who teach in a biased way and will let go of non-tenured ones who do.

And here are some quotes from your article:

"50 percent of the faculty members surveyed identifying themselves as Democrats"

"The findings, by Lichter and fellow political science professors Stanley Rothman of Smith College and Neil Nevitte of the University of Toronto, are based on a survey of 1,643 full-time faculty at 183 four-year schools studied at 57 different "top-tier" colleges and universities in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachussets, New Hampshire and Canada....It was funded by the Randolph Foundation, a right-leaning group that has given grants to such conservative organizations as the Americans for Tax Reform. "

"When asked about the findings, Jonathan Knight, director of academic freedom and tenure for the American Association of University Professors, said, "The question is how this translates into what happens within the academic community on such issues as curriculum, admission of students, evaluation of students, evaluation of faculty for salary and promotion." Knight said he isn't aware of "any good evidence" that personal views are having an impact on campus policies...It's hard to see that these liberal views cut very deeply into the education of students. In fact, a number of studies show the core values that students bring into the university are not very much altered by being in college.""

"Rothman, Lichter and Nevitte find a leftward shift on campus over the past two decades. In the last major survey of college faculty, by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 1984, 39 percent identified themselves as liberal."

Further proof Reagan and the MM killed the concept of the educated Republican, liberals didn't outsource it.

"In contrast with the finding that nearly three-quarters of college faculty are liberal, a Harris Poll of the general public last year found that 33 percent describe themselves as conservative and 18 percent as liberal."

It's fitting people like Ward Churchill get brought up. After his statements every professor I had, lib, conservative or neutral condemned him. His type are less than 1/10th of 1% of college professors.
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:24 AM
 
Location: Hoboken
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Because the best educated people tend to have more money, they feel guilty. Instead of actually doing something for the less fortunate they would rather throw money at them to assuage their guilt.
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:25 AM
 
Location: Highland, CA (formerly Newark, NJ)
6,183 posts, read 6,076,346 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pghquest View Post
I note how through all of your examples posted here, you didnt list ONE example of what a teacher did in your opinion to justify you calling them a conservative.

You've listed numerous liberal ones though... Why is that?
My Math Professor, Dr. Edward Boylan, preached to us everyday how Global Warming was a hoax and how "one specific party" is trying to scare us into believing it and that (he never named names) a certain VP candidate can't tell you when TV's came into existance, how is he qualified be next in line to be leader of the free world?

An economics professor of mine, Michelle Rotunda, displayed how the Keynes Economics system is ineffective and that a Lassiez-Faire government is effective when not in a recession or depression.

A sociology professor, Eric Thompson, displayed how pieces of embryo are life in the first trimester and thus abortion is murder.

An English professor, Tom Korson, gave us a lesson in historical writings and how the Christian faith is usually the most advanced in terms of education and writing, and that we should consider that as we move on with our lives.

And outside of 1 professor saying he was agnostic and still being open to debate, how have I provided any examples of liberal professors?
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:25 AM
 
26,680 posts, read 28,674,422 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brubaker View Post
Sounds like a circular argument to me considering you have to be educated to begin with in order to teach at a university and we already established that more educated people tend to be liberal.
I was thinking the same thing. So far, the conservative responses remind me of a dog chasing its tail. It sounds like they may as well give up because everything is biased against them - the liberal media, the liberal universities, etc. All of their problems are caused by someone or some institution treating them unfairly. They've mastered the role of the victim.
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:26 AM
 
Location: Hoboken
19,890 posts, read 18,755,547 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale View Post
The idea that universities are liberal indoctrination institutions sounds like a conspiracy theory to me, but even if there's some truth to it, what can conservatives do about it, if anything?

I guess it has been a while since you graduated but most universities have a decidedly lefward tilt. There is little conservatives can do liberals are entrenched in academia.
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Old 01-13-2010, 05:29 AM
 
Location: Boston, MA
14,483 posts, read 11,285,313 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twista6002 View Post
I go to college and can tell you firsthand you're speaking out of your rear. My political opinions were generally the same as they are now before I ever stepped foot on campus.

I've taken 2 Philosophy classes: one prof was an agnostic who was open to most religious views. The other wouldn't tell us what he was but we had to write a paper convincing him what we believed. And no he didn't grade on what you believed, but rather how well you argued for it.

Like I previously said, about 1/3 of my professors teach in a liberal manner, 1/4 in a conservative manner, and the rest are either bipartisan or completely neutral.
I went to college as well and I'll be damned if I could have figured out the political leanings of my professors the way you've been able to. How calculus can be liberally taught is beyond me.
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