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Post by info seeking on Dec 14, 2013 20:48:56 GMT -5
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Post by anon prof on Dec 15, 2013 18:27:14 GMT -5
I don't personally, but in my department this semester we had a prof accused of sexual harassment after discussing sex and race in their class. The case was dropped and found to be unmerited, but I have heard of a similar case from a colleague at a public school in another region of the country. I also know there is an ongoing case at Appalachian State University that that has been in the news, regarding a sociology prof who taught about pornography, and who spoke publicly against the administration and athletics: thefire.org/case/899.htmlHere is another case of a professor reprimanded for speaking about race: www.slate.com/articles/life/counter_narrative/2013/12/minneapolis_professor_shannon_gibney_reprimanded_for_talking_about_racism.htmlThis is a very very very disturbing trend that we as sociologists should be worried about, and we should be speaking out about this.
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Post by Anony on Dec 15, 2013 18:55:29 GMT -5
Of course there should not be censorship and I agree that sociologists should be concerned. Just from that one article re Patty, I'd have to say that having people dress up as prostitutes does seem insensitive (though NOT sexual harassment). An approach I think would be better is to either bring in actual prostitutes to come into class or have stories from actual prostitutes or sex slaves read and describe them. From the article it's not clear where the dialogue from the skit comes from. This I think, is important. Is it based on data, memoirs or the like, or made up?
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Post by anon prof on Dec 16, 2013 7:05:08 GMT -5
who cares if it's insensitive? Sociology is frequently insensitive, we are challenging ideas that students have held their entire lives, that are usually wrong. Patty is one of the foremost criminologists/deviance sociologists in the country, and has been teaching this topic and skit for at least 10 years if not more.
If you think it's ever a university's job, especially a GOVERNMENT RUN SCHOOL, to decide which information is "too sensitive" to share with students, rather than one of the foremost experts in the country on this topic, and that they can circumvent established tenure pathways to quash these insensitive discussions.....well good luck with the future of this country's academic system.
This is EXACTLY why we have tenure in the first place, but it seems our government no longer believes in tenure. Very very scary.
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Post by anon prof on Dec 16, 2013 7:10:52 GMT -5
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Post by anon prof on Dec 16, 2013 7:13:03 GMT -5
I would like to add a quote that is on my office door-
Those who know, teach. Those who don't know, make laws about teaching.
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Post by Anony on Dec 16, 2013 16:16:43 GMT -5
Anon prof, a few comments
In no way do I think sociologists regularly teach insensitive things. Sensitive topics? That's our bread and butter - race, class, inequality etc
When I was an undergrad my friends and i had classes where the prof said insensitive things re American Indians, Asian Americans etc. In fact a friend took a class where the prof would comment on her long American Indian hair and made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Also it's hard to draw a line in teaching but I do think there are rules. In no way shape or form would dressing up in black, red, yellow or brown face to teach about these thing s would be acceptable. If I was a student in a class that did that, have no doubt I would complain.
I don't think having a real person come and speak about their experiences and aak questions is using them as a prop. I know faculty who bring in people without homes to class and I think it's very powerful for students to see, hear and learn from people with first hand experiences. In terms of sex workers, getting someone who didn't care about anonymity might be difficult. In that case, as I mentioned above, I think usig memoirs or interview or ethnographic data to illustrate these points is far more powerful than a made up script. That's why I prefaced my comment saying I had only read that one article and wanted to know where material from the script came from.
I don't know Patty or her work, and I'm sure she is an excellent sociologist. However implying that we can't criticize or comment on her work or teaching bc she's tenured, is dangerous
Back to the skit - honest question, say the student who complained, complained about the portrayal of sex workers because someone in their own family was a sex worker and the student thought it trivialized it or something similar. How would you as the professor and you as the dept chair handle it?
Note the points I'm bringing up are different than teaching 'controversial or sensitive topics and having students complain bc it challenges their woeview and/ or privilege
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offensive stereotypes
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Post by offensive stereotypes on Dec 16, 2013 19:38:51 GMT -5
One potential problem is that with [affluent middle class] students portraying sex workers with such archetypes as "crack whore" there is tremendous potential for this to descend into horrible racists stereotypes. I can see how a basically good idea could pretty easily go bad.
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Post by ORLY? on Dec 16, 2013 21:29:09 GMT -5
Anyone who thinks this is about some stupid skit is naive. There's something else going on here.
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Post by Yes on Dec 17, 2013 2:50:06 GMT -5
According to the Daily camera, a grad TA made the initial report to the chair, then they laid in wait. Someone needs to ask the chair and the TA some questions. Does the TA qualify for title 9 confidentiality? If not, i would expect a faculty committee to interview this person. There is something rotten in the state of Denmark.
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Post by I agree on Dec 17, 2013 12:49:49 GMT -5
I agree with the people who said we need to think more critically about all of this. I was a TA for a Prof who was a great teacher, but sometimes did insensitive things to make a point, especially around race- She was white, I was black, many students were black. As a first year TA, it was hard for me to confront her. If she asked me to dress up as a slave or crack whore to illustrate something for the students, you bet I would have a problem with it. I think going to the chair was the right thing.
I am not saying Patty needs to be fired, but changing this lesson after students make complaints seems like a reasonable thing to do.
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Post by hmmm on Dec 17, 2013 14:09:09 GMT -5
Does anyone actually have an insider knowledge about the situation? If not I would hold off on casting judgement on what transpired.
Two faculty in my department when I was in grad school found themselves in comparable situations. In both instances it was clearly a case of students having an agenda (one was a TA the other was an undergrad) and using claims of being offended or uncomfortable to advance it. Only one of the instances received press coverage which entirely distorted the situation and failed to provide crucial information regarding the baselessness of the allegations. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is what's going on at CU.
As anon prof outlines above it sets a very dangerous and unreasonable precedent when professors are forced to revise their lectures/teaching strategies in response to every conceivable compliant filed by students.
Could Patti have crossed the line? Absolutely. But I don't think anyone on this board is in a position to make that call.
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Post by insider on Dec 17, 2013 15:21:24 GMT -5
There is a back story, to be sure. Department politics, blah, blah, blah.
My primary concern with this case was the use of the IRB as a cudgel. Now the administration has walked that back. I get the academic freedom argument, but I just can't see how this is the best test case to take a stand. The waters are too muddy.
There are other cases more worthy of attention (like the bullshit going on at App State). Peter and Patti have a nice retirement to look forward, too. They'll be fine.
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Post by job?? on Dec 17, 2013 15:39:46 GMT -5
So does this mean Colorado will be hiring next year??
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Post by t on Dec 18, 2013 14:12:24 GMT -5
^collective action failure.
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