Professor Bans College Students From Saying 'Bless You' In Class

originally posted by: ketsuko
He wants students to not be polite and explains it as being polite to him. So which is it? Am I teaching my son to be a rude little snotrag in which case he will neither say "Bless you" nor respect someone else who is talking and say and do what he wants when he wants. Or he will be polite and say "Bless you" and show respect to someone who is talking.

This man cannot have it both ways.

Of course, as I am paying for this professor's time ... if he knocks my son's grade for something this petty, he can generally expect to hear from me.

Yea. Star for you.

Seems the Professor is lacking basic empathy for a human being.

As if the Professors 2-3 seconds is that important. His world is no larger than anyone else's on this Earth. Definitely no more special.

originally posted by: NthOther

originally posted by: theantediluvian

Any excuse for some people to feel persecuted!

It's not about persecution, or anything so grandiose.

It's just stupid.

If this guy can't keep his train of thought amid casual, hushed common courtesies--in other words, he has to be an asshole to maintain his version of "proper decorum"--then he probably shouldn't be a teacher.

Which is why I don't think that's the driving force behind this (his power trip). Don't you think the timing of this is a little convenient from a publicity standpoint?

How does us that inform us as to the motivation here?

The powers have an agenda. Divide, conquer, persecute, polarize.

Doesn't the sneeze itself interrupt him? I mean sneezing is LOUD.

No points off for that?

What about a cough? Or as someone else pointed out: Farting.

A burp?

What if you have to blow your nose?

I think this is less about a "religion" and more about someone being an egomaniac that can't stand to not hear themselves talking.

I've known plenty of people who were not into religion at all say "bless you" simply because they were taught that as a kid.

Hell, when I lived in S. Korea and in Thailand, those people there would say "Bless you" in english if you sneezed.

sheesh. I think my wife is right. Last night she proclaimed: The world has gone crazy.

I hope students boycott his class.

Alternatively the teacher evaluations get used for the professors own evaluation from the school. So, if enough students write it down it will effect him negatively. As if being in the news doesn't.

originally posted by: Iamthatbish

Alternatively the teacher evaluations get used for the professors own evaluation from the school. So, if enough students write it down it will effect him negatively. As if being in the news doesn't.

I'm not so sure about that. Unfortunately, the education system is replete with people who think this guy is just tapdancing awesome for his little shenanigans.

And the media, well...

a reply to: NthOther

If that School did just change from being a two year, that means the students are close to home. Let irate parents harass this mans boss. I'm certain that'll go over quite nicely.

For what it's worth:

The Origin of 'Bless You'

Yes, the custom is a remnant of ignorant superstition. But as the article points out regarding contemporary usage:

In the final analysis, it may not be as much about souls leaping out or demons clawing to get in as it is about simple human acknowledgement of another's presence.

And regard for their well-being. Why make such a big deal about it?

originally posted by: NthOther

originally posted by: theantediluvian

Any excuse for some people to feel persecuted!

It's not about persecution, or anything so grandiose.

It's just stupid.

If this guy can't keep his train of thought amid casual, hushed common courtesies--in other words, he has to be an asshole to maintain his version of "proper decorum"--then he probably shouldn't be a teacher.

Which is why I don't think that's the driving force behind this (his power trip). Don't you think the timing of this is a little convenient from a publicity standpoint?

How does us that inform us as to the motivation here?

So you think he called the local CBS affiliate and told them what was on his syllabus?

It's a publicity stunt just like 99% of these "news" pieces are and it's definitely about giving people the impression that Christians are being persecuted by agenda driven atheists who won't be happy until they've erased every shred of religion from our lives. Clearly it's struck the intended chord with you:

Does this sound rational to you? I know nothing of this professor, but it seems that he's riding the publicity coattails of the earlier story (for one thing) to "stick it to those idiot theists". Because that's what they do.

Jab and twist. Mock. Repeat.

Or do you think this chemistry professor called the local CBS affiliate and told them what was on his syllabus because "that's what they do?"

originally posted by: theantediluvian

So you think he called the local CBS affiliate and told them what was on his syllabus?

Of course not. Nor do I believe he was ignorant of the recent high school story, nor naive of what the potential response to such a rather obvious jab would be. He knew he was lighting a fire, which is quite possibly the very reason he did it.

It's a publicity stunt just like 99% of these "news" pieces are and it's definitely about giving people the impression that Christians are being persecuted by agenda driven atheists who won't be happy until they've erased every shred of religion from our lives. Clearly it's struck the intended chord with you:

Keep in mind I'm not a Christian. I don't see this through a lens of persecution. What I take note of in all this (and stories like it) is the vitriol apparent in the actions of people like this. I don't understand the need to get under someone's skin and piss them off for what seems to be it's own sake. I stand utterly dumbfounded by it.

Why do they have to rain on everyone's parade all the time? Over the most petty of things. The attitude is just... I don't get it.

a reply to: Bone75

What does this thread have to do with discrimination?

Unless you can answer that honestly, id appreciate it if you would keep your assumptions and strawman bs to yourself.

I agree ot kills fairy's.
Evertime someone says thank you after the bless you bit a fairy dies a horrible death.

That's just kind of dumb. I think any professor should be allowed to say, "Let's not say ____ because it's not descriptive enough/too lazy/too ____" But I don't really think a student should actually have his grade threatened for saying it.

While I understand an argument can be made that the "bless you's" and "thank you's" may be momentarily disruptive, I wonder how he would react if he sneezed during a lecture and someone blessed him.

Since most sneezes come in 2's, and folks can't talk when they're sneezing, would he still consider it rude even though he's not being interrupted?

This professor is lucky I am not in his class....sometimes I miss college. I love to learn, I just hate what college has become in the USA.

originally posted by: jrod
This professor is lucky I am not in his class....sometimes I miss college. I love to learn, I just hate what college has become in the USA.

College has it's ups and downs. For me it feels like it's never going to end despite having just two more years to go, for everything I need (why oh why did I choose a field where I would need 5 interrelated degrees?)

That said I've been pretty lucky, I had speech teachers that understood why me growing up in Nevada took offense to her pronouncing it Ne-vah-da. I've had English classes where I've been encouraged to take whatever stance I want on an article and argue. Current Events classes where I get to discuss politics, and my programs classes where I've been allowed some pretty extensive liberties like taking over entire computer labs or being allowed to design my own program of study for the course.

There's always the bad professors too, I've got a math professor right now who simply sucks at explaining things clearly. The book is also of no help (though the professor made sure it was a free ebook to keep our costs down) so I'm on my own or with a tutor.

The guy in this article just sounds like a jackass. I understand what he's going for but the whole point of college is to challenge what you're told. There must be someone in that class that can make a coherent argument as to why he has a bad policy. For example knowingly ignoring a common cultural expectation creates a bigger distraction to the class than simply letting it happen. People expect something and when it's not there it creates a moment of confusion which takes away from the lecture.

a reply to: Aazadan

It will never end if you keep going until you get a PHD and then become a professor and continue to research.

I haven't set foot in a college classroom in almost a decade, I am interested to see how things have changed.

Somethings will never change.

a reply to: Bone75

My science teacher taught us that your heart stops briefly when you sneeze and that's why people say "bless you".

"Bless you" goes back farther than when people had stethiscopes or cardiograms. "Bless you" stems from the fear of people dying from something as simple as a common cold or the flu, in the days before modern medicine and the understanding of germs.

The professor just doesn't want to be interrupted during his lectures, and isn't making any exception for a "bless you" either.

a reply to: windword

Okay cool then I suppose she was close enough. But before I accept this professor's reasoning for banning the practice, I'd like to know what happens when you bless him in the middle of a sneezing fit. Whether or not you still recieve a point reduction would reveal his true intentions.

a reply to: NthOther

God bless the bone-headed prof!

originally posted by: jrod
a reply to: Aazadan

It will never end if you keep going until you get a PHD and then become a professor and continue to research.

I haven't set foot in a college classroom in almost a decade, I am interested to see how things have changed.

Somethings will never change.

I love to learn and research but the school environment isn't for me. I generally get a 4.0 but I am not a good student. I do my best work outside of class and on my own, on projects I want to make. For example I've been teaching myself the Unity engine for the past year in my spare time. It's much better than what I get to do in class.

I have no intention of getting a PHD and being a teacher. I'll stop with my second bachelors (2 more years to finish the second, I have 3 Associates too). To me school is just a place where I can learn and get some portfolio pieces in the process. I imagine I will always continue to research but just not in a formal setting. Preferably in a setting where I'm self employed and can dictate what goes into the computer programs I write.

I like the field of game design and it's a relatively new field with lots of depth. Game specific software programming, the psychology of fun, making loops that people want to play without getting addicted to (or that they do get addicted to if you're a bad company), setting up worlds that work the way you say they work, and making everything interact. There's just so much to it and I haven't touched the art or music sides yet. That's why I've been a student for a long time, there's just too much to learn for what I want to do.

But as I said, I've generally very positive experiences with teachers. Usually the only negative ones come from math teachers. I can compute math very quickly in my head, but I need it explained to me in a specific way for it to make sense so that I know why I'm using the formulas I'm using. Science teachers I have had the bare minimum of experience with so I can't say anything about them.