Duke freshmen refuse to read assigned book (universities, tuition, degree)

[TexasLawyer2000]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Who get's a summer reading list in college?

Originally Posted by strawflower

Apparently the students at Duke My daughter had one at UW-Madison, too...

So does UC Berkeley, Princeton, Harvard and many other schools. Generally schools that target those who are interested in education.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by charlygal

If the photos are in the book, they can skip over those. Also, in life, we are bombarded with stuff we deem offensive.

I'm quite offended by all the racists on C-D. I still hang around and post.

I'm okay that the students don't want to read the book. That's their choice. In life, our choices have consequences. I'm sure they'll gladly take the "F." I would if I felt that strongly about it.

Do you know what a graphic novel is? The pictures are integral to the text.

[Sundaydrive00]

Originally Posted by Salmonburgher

I agree with these sentiments. Nonetheless, if the prof assigns the book for reading, the students are required to do so.

I wonder if the students knew when they registered for this class what the reading assignments were going to be?

If they don't know when they registered, they would have found out the first day of class when they got the syllabus. A lot of professors even put the syllabus online well before classes even start. So more then likely they had time to research the required reading and decide whether they wanted to take the class. Usually you can easily switch classes the first week or two of the semester.

That is if Fun Home is actually required reading and not just a suggested book to read on the summer reading list.

If the students are so concerned about compromising their "personal Christian moral beliefs" then they should have gone to a Christian college. I doubt there is a shortage of Christian colleges in the South.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by TexasLawyer2000

You're not the only one against higher education. But what I don't understand is why people enroll in something they are in disagreement with.

To learn something. Perhaps enrolling in courses where you disagree might give you stronger arguments for your own views.

[NJBest]

Originally Posted by nana053

To learn something. Perhaps enrolling in courses where you disagree might give you stronger arguments for your own views.

You missed TexasLawyer2000's point. They disagree with learning and higher education. If you disagree with learning and higher education, it makes no sense to participate in it.

[stan4]

Take the course, read the book.
Choose not to read it? OK. Take the resulting grade.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by nana053

Do you know what a graphic novel is? The pictures are integral to the text.

Look, I was offended by the boring ass crap I had to read throughout middle school, high school, and college.

But you read it bc it is part of the learning experience.

[Jesse44]

Tough ****. University is about critical thinking and having beliefs challenged and questioned for the purpose of seeing how they hold up. If you refuse to read something based off of preconceived notions such as these, you're not really open to learning, and should be failed or given a zero on the corresponding assignment.

University isn't about learning within the confines of a bubble you chose in advance.

[henderson702]

Originally Posted by strawflower

What are your thoughts? Religious arguments aside, I thought a key purpose of attending university, especially one with the prestige of Duke, was to open your mind to new perspectives.

What do you think Duke should to in this instance? Simply give Fs to those who did not participate?

Duke University students refuse to read award-winning novel, calling it anti-Christian | WGN-TV

The students should drop the class and take another one. That is what they get for going to a secular school.

[Coney]

Originally Posted by MoonBeam33

Rabbit, Run is about a man-child with an alcoholic wife, who destroys his family and abandons all responsibility. There was very little in it that would be considered "erotic."

Lolita, on the other hand, is a beautifully written trash book that is basically a primer for pedophiles on how to groom young girls. Assigned all the time. I read it and was truly nauseated. But I still read it.

See, differing opinions are ok!

Not to get O/T, but I believe there were several editions of Rabbit Run, the first where Updike was forced to cut some of the explicit stuff out and then he added them back in for subsequent editions. Probably the most explicit is an act which would have seemed shocking during the early 60s, but now is found commonly on prime time network TV shows, as well as mentioned on newscasts.