Student Sues College After Being Punished for Her Anti-Gay Language

a reply to: Annee
well yes and no, we also have the judges words...

For all anybody knows, the judge had too much coffee on the day she thought the case was legitimately a violation of free speech in some way, but in court after deliberation, she might realize it wasn't really a matter of First Amendment violation at all.

I believe it was a matter of the professor finding the paper unacceptable according to her own personal standards for a college student in her class, and whether students like it or not the professor is responsible for the criteria for grading assignments as well as rejecting a student's work. I know what it's like to have to please a professor as an undergraduate to get a good grade, and part of this involves learning what the professor wants you to write. If it was my class and I was the student, I'd have gotten the message that I'm not expressing myself well enough, not simply that I'm being denied rights. If I was the teacher and I was offended by what a student wrote that sounded strongly anti-gay, I would approach the student with constructive criticism and encourage further explanation, as well as inquiring why pay to take a class that is pro-lesbian if you have strong opinions against homosexuality?

Many professors have on their agendas the desire to have students question their own personal beliefs, particularly if the beliefs cause unjust discrimination against certain people based on attributes like sexual orientation. My guess is that this is one of those cases, and the student refused to examine her negative opinions of lesbians (and their sexual behaviors) and instead decided to cling to rigid opinions in the name of "free speech." The teacher probably read the paper as particularly prejudiced against lesbians and was more interested in having the student understand this than simply preserving the student's right of free speech, given the aim of a professor is to help students pass the class. Of course, students who disagree with the professor on a fundamental level about the professor's take on a subject are in for a rough ride. Hence, the teacher suggested the class might be a poor choice.

It's a distortion of what is a "right" to believe the act of being prejudiced constitutes a form of freedom. It confounds freedom with reckless opinions, and because some of us recognize this when it happens it demands confrontation, especially in a learning environment.

Can you imagine what would happen to college standards if every time a student writes a paper that a professor says is poorly written because of prejudiced language the student can successfully sue on the grounds of being denied free speech? It would mean students can write about whatever they want and never be held responsible for what they say! I can't think of a more irresponsible way to guide student learning.

If you think I'm simply supporting that teachers should be given license to "indoctrinate" students you're misunderstanding what I wrote above. If as a student you want to express a viewpoint that is anti-homosexual, there is a way to do this without being prejudiced. If you refuse to learn how to do it and instead "blurt out" a strong negative opinion, expect confrontation.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: scghst1
I do agree that the professor should have graded it . . .

We do not know the facts here.

We only know what this student is claiming.

Exactly. So it doesn't matter. The professor should have graded it unless it was extremely off the wall.

a reply to: Petros312

you do realize that what your saying is basically that a professor should have the right to indoctrinate someone to their line of thinking right, and that it is not biased or prejudiced to hold someones opinion against them. even if they do what they were told to do in the assignment. she was not told to find only good things to say about the film or characters. in fact here is a description of the class in the syllabus.

Pompeo claims that Hinkley violated her own syllabus and "Contract for a Restricted Class," which stated "that '[t]he intellectual project of this challenging course is for us to investigate and consider, with open minds, representations of a plethora of genders and sexualities. I hope it's quite clear that we do not expect anyone to necessarily agree with the positions and arguments advanced in our work. There's controversy built right into the syllabus, and we can't wait to hash out our differences.'"
Political Correctness Run Amok

i hope you can see the last two sentences. notice these key words.we do not expect anyone to necessarily agree with the positions and arguments andThere's controversy built right into the syllabus
sounds to me like the professor was using the class as a way to pick a fights,and bully people to her line of thinking. this time she met someone she couldn't do that to and pulled the hate speech card. and found more controversy than she bargained for.

another thing shouldn't open minds be a two way street? why could the teacher not see the student's point of view with out being offended, and grade the paper accordingly?




ETA:
about prejudiced, so you say it is wrong for people to think or have the opinion that homosexuality is wrong. i'm i correct or not? if i'm correct is it not also prejudiced that people who are homosexual to think or to have the opinion that people who think it is wrong are wrong if you follow what i'm trying to say. why is one groups thoughts or opinion wrong and the others not? and why should one be allowed to express theirs and not the others?

a reply to: Petros312

So what you are saying is that the system where you write what you think a professor wants for fear of voicing an opinion that differs with theirs is a good system that we should all follow?

Yeah, I will pass on that.

Professor should be reprimanded or fired.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

My guess is that the paper went far beyond just a F paper. There's no way that movie is perverse unless you're a homophobe.

originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
another thing shouldn't open minds be a two way street. why could the teacher not see the student's point of view with out being offended. and grade the paper accordingly.

Coming from Massachusetts, the bastion of "open mindedness", I can confirm that open mindedness really means accept the liberal/progressive agenda and agree with what we say, and do not expect us to even consider any opinion that is different.

People who use the term open-minded tend to be the most close minded people I have ever met.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Is that related to how people who scream how Christian they are tend to be the least Christian in values? Or how people who love freedom tend to believe in dictating others lives?

Hypocrisy is not a liberal monopoly

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Is that related to how people who scream how Christian they are tend to be the least Christian in values? Or how people who love freedom tend to believe in dictating others lives?

Hypocrisy is not a liberal monopoly

Agreed, even those that scream how Cultured they are tend to be the least cultured in values? Or how people who want equality tend to believe in denying equality others enjoy?

I agree, hypocrisy enjoys no favoritism.

Note -- This wasn't directed at you, but I needed to quote you to make the point.

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Is that related to how people who scream how Christian they are tend to be the least Christian in values? Or how people who love freedom tend to believe in dictating others lives?

Hypocrisy is not a liberal monopoly

There are plenty of people who do the holier than thou routine, no clue what it has to do with the OP other than to derail it.

ETA: Not all liberals are on the "open-mindedness" crazy train. My dad is a diehard liberal and would never spout that nonsense.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Why are you asking me? You're the one who made a blanket statement about liberals :p I don't see my comnent is derailing the thread if yours isn't

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Why are you asking me? You're the one who made a blanket statement about liberals :p I don't see my comnent is derailing the thread if yours isn't

No, I didn't. If you think I did you need to re-read what I said. If you continue to think I did then I weep for the education system in this country.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

"People who use the term open-minded tend to be the most close minded people I have ever met.". You said this after discussing your experience in a liberal bastion and that openmindedness is liberal/progressive brainwashing. I think I read it correctly. You were lamenting the hypocrisy of liberals. If I'm wrong I apologize but I don't see any other way to read that. Someone agreed with me so it couldn't be that off base. *shrug*

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

"People who use the term open-minded tend to be the most close minded people I have ever met.". You said this after discussing your experience in a liberal bastion and that openmindedness is liberal/progressive brainwashing. I think I read it correctly. You were lamenting the hypocrisy of liberals. If I'm wrong I apologize but I don't see any other way to read that. Someone agreed with me so it couldn't be that off base. *shrug*

People who use the term open minded is exactly what I said, correct. I did not say liberals, democrats, or progressives. I was lamenting the hypocrisy of liberals who talk about open-mindedness ... as they are not open-minded, at all. The only way to be "open-minded" is to agree with what they think. Clear hypocrisy, and a fear tactic used to stifle opposing beliefs.

I went on to say not all Liberals are like that, my father is a die-hard Liberal/Democrat, he does not suffer from this problem. It was pretty rampant at college though with Professors, but especially students.

For some reason this is a touchy subject espesially in college... I try and steer clear of it and stay neutral if a obvious pro gay teacher brought it up to write/talk about.... Unless it's a debate class, shutup.....

a reply to: Petros312


I believe its a simple matter of a student demonstrating that they were not going to express a PC dominated mindset toward material offered. She shouldn't have even been approached at all by the professor. You see? So the professor gets one paper that doesn't give flowery reviews and then advises the student to drop out? What the hell is that? Sounds like culling the heard. It should be fairly obvious that the professor got a bit defensive which indicates an atmosphere of indoctrination.

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Is that related to how people who scream how Christian they are tend to be the least Christian in values? Or how people who love freedom tend to believe in dictating others lives?

Hypocrisy is not a liberal monopoly

Yea but you really don't mean "dictating others lives" because there is none of that happening. What you mean is that folks with other ideas should shut up. And Christian values you say? You mean lovey dovey hold hands and buy the world a coke sort of stuff. Real christian values have to do with rebuking the unfruitful works of darkness.

originally posted by: 3u40r15m
For some reason this is a touchy subject espesially in college... I try and steer clear of it and stay neutral if a obvious pro gay teacher brought it up to write/talk about.... Unless it's a debate class, shutup.....

Do you think people should equally stay about from challenging religious beliefs? Example, a Christian teacher, can you not write about not believing in God?

Seems to me as soon as you are not allowed to challenge an idea because the professor has an issue and so won't grade your paper, that professor needs to look for a new job.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

What is it that you think this little girl was challenging?

a reply to: SomePeople


How about young woman?

originally posted by: Logarock
a reply to: SomePeople


How about young woman?

How about young woman, what?