Got White Privilege? College Students Flunked for Using “Oppressive and Hateful Language”

I wonder what the penalty, in say a physics class, if one referred to "God's magic paperweight effect" rather than simply gravity?

Or perhaps referred to inertia as "continued movement of the etheric fluid"?

I'm betting you they would be corrected and if they persisted they would fail.

Sometimes, language is important.

(Although, I disagree, in theory, with the degree of control exhibited in those two syllabi ... but again, they signed up for the class.)

originally posted by: reldra

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: reldra

Actually, not always. There are some students who wouldn't be able to.

Wouldn't be able to what?

Personal experience. There are students who have to have their classes maintained and scheduled very tightly at certain times. If you drop a class out of a time slot, then you are often out of luck being able to pick up an equivalent in that time slot.

I had problems with a language course over a couple semesters because they told you only the hour requirement - the standard three - but not how they envisioned you getting those three which would be with two or three different lab hours scattered out all over the day. They did not have the lab hours available for sign-up through the catalog, so once you got into class, they sprang the hours on you randomly and just magically expected them to fit with your day. If they didn't, you were SOL.

I finally had to take that course over the summer. There was no way it fit my regular year schedule.

originally posted by: reldra

originally posted by: DelMarvel

originally posted by: reldra

It's detailed, but it's their course to teach and those who don't want to take it don't have to.

But it goes beyond that. There are classes that students are required to take where this occurs. There are even majors where professors will come right out and tell students they will have trouble passing courses because they are white, especially white males.

I have a family member who was forced to change majors at a large state university because of this.

There are core classes that should not have a slant- like Algebra 101 for instance. There is a complaint process if that happens. No one forced your your family member to change anything, they just didn't follow the complaint process or sue.

That is an anecdote and I am not sure that actually happens.

I don't care if you believe me or not.

I have a relative who was told he would have trouble passing the courses needed to get a Social Work degree because he was a white male.

a reply to: DelMarvel

I have a relative who was told he would have trouble passing the courses needed to get a Social Work degree because he was a white male.

Have you considered the possibility that your male relative was not completely honest with you with what he was told? There are plenty of white male social workers in the world...........

a reply to: DelMarvel

I believe you. When I used to go to a HBCU, there was a similar incident with a white student. It's wasn't known school wide or reported in the media though. I'm pretty sure that teacher doesn't have a job at that college anymore after a school wide "clean up".

So people are asked not to be rascist or sexist in a course on social issues and people on here are complaining? No wonder the stereotype of Americans is fat, stupid and ignorant.

Deferring clearly means allowing the chance for those who've faced oppression to voice their own or others' experiences so the whole class benefits, same thing for shyness - it's how to level out white privilege. As for gender issues, only the West considers a Male/Female divide, most cultures have 4 - 7 different genders, plus it's rude to not use someone's name; especially if they're in the room.

If a student lacks basic manners, social skills and respect for others then why would any Uni want to give them a degree in that field - someone harbouring those views is a danger to society and would remove all credibility from the University.

EDIT: I'm a white, border-line middle class straight male who's been a support worker for 7 years now and know hundreds of others (roughly 50/50 male/female ratio) -manners aren't determined by colour of skin or gender - either your mate was lying or it's a one in a million case where trying to achieve equality goes wrong.

a reply to: bastion

OK, explain to me how you participate in a gender studies class and study gender if your teacher does not let you use gender terminology without it lowering your grade?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: bastion

OK, explain to me how you participate in a gender studies class and study gender if your teacher does not let you use gender terminology without it lowering your grade?

You use wit and vocabulary to find the appropriate terminology, if someone lacks the basic skills to do that or respect for their professor and university syllabus they clearly lack the basic skills, respect or personality for the profession.

Stupid classes like this are the reason college takes four years and not three. Streamline the education system.

Don't like the class requirements; don't take the classes.

Feel like the class requirements are discriminatory or compromising one's civil rights; take the appropriate legal action.

Postulating and posturing here makes little difference. One never ceases to be amazed at how much "libertarians" want to meddle in other people's lives.

originally posted by: bastion

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: bastion

OK, explain to me how you participate in a gender studies class and study gender if your teacher does not let you use gender terminology without it lowering your grade?

You use wit and vocabulary to find the appropriate terminology, if someone lacks the basic skills to do that or respect for their professor and university syllabus they clearly lack the basic skills, respect or personality for the profession.

So, you can study gender without using gender terminology?

Somehow, I doubt it, or are you going to contend that the problem is averted by using womyn?

originally posted by: Gryphon66
Don't like the class requirements; don't take the classes.

Feel like the class requirements are discriminatory or compromising one's civil rights; take the appropriate legal action.

Postulating and posturing here makes little difference. One never ceases to be amazed at how much "libertarians" want to meddle in other people's lives.

As a libertarian, if someone else in the class wants to do it their way, I have no problem with that, but is there an actual point to having MY life meddled with in this manner?

I don't want to obstruct them, but I object very much to being personally meddled with.

Man, what is this little white boy to do... I'm not sure what to say...can I refer to everything and anything as an "it"?

How about instead of female one can say sans-penis? Just keep it biological.

a reply to: infolurker

And that seems to be the overall theme here, most of what I see comes from classes along cultural, gender, women studies, etc. I have a real problem with the whole male/female but it seems isolated to those types classes. If you want that type of degree have at it, when you graduate don't be surprised if people aren't lining up for your services. This doesn't seem to be an issue with finance/technology/egineering/etc.

Basically and not to be mean it seems to take place In classes/degrees that have no real practical use or value outside a college environment

a reply to: infolurker

The whole "White Privilege" thing?

Pure jealousy.

a reply to: infolurker

This is so stupid that it makes me want to throat-punch kittens.

Things like this make a Kanye West presidency possible.

If idiocy was a disease, we'd have the CDC quarantine these universities.

*shakes head*

originally posted by: reldra
a reply to: infolurker
They don't have to take these classes. None of them seem to be a class where the requirement can't be met by another. Judging by the titles of the courses, I would imagine the professors are fairly strict in what they see as inappropriate.

To defer would mean to understand their experiences as real. Also, the professor who doesn't like male/female, prefers men/women. I think because male/female would make assumptions about preferences, such as the color pink or blue.

It's detailed, but it's their course to teach and those who don't want to take it don't have to.

So based on that, you are fine with a teacher reducing scores for using terms like 'undocumented workers', 'lump of cells', 'anti-choice', 'right wing fascist' and 'gay marriage.'

It's their course to teach. Those who don't want to take the course don't have to.

I PAY to go to college and if I go I want to learn about accounting, computers, engineering etc. I don't need some asshat grading me for whether I was PC enough for them. Seriously who are these morons in 'higher education' that have forgotten what people go to school for which is to get a degree and make a living by learning something useful.

originally posted by: bastion
So people are asked not to be rascist or sexist in a course on social issues and people on here are complaining? No wonder the stereotype of Americans is fat, stupid and ignorant.

Deferring clearly means allowing the chance for those who've faced oppression to voice their own or others' experiences so the whole class benefits, same thing for shyness - it's how to level out white privilege. As for gender issues, only the West considers a Male/Female divide, most cultures have 4 - 7 different genders, plus it's rude to not use someone's name; especially if they're in the room.

If a student lacks basic manners, social skills and respect for others then why would any Uni want to give them a degree in that field - someone harbouring those views is a danger to society and would remove all credibility from the University.

EDIT: I'm a white, border-line middle class straight male who's been a support worker for 7 years now and know hundreds of others (roughly 50/50 male/female ratio) -manners aren't determined by colour of skin or gender - either your mate was lying or it's a one in a million case where trying to achieve equality goes wrong.

Male/female is sexists? When did biological gender terms become sexists. Not to mention man woman is allowed, look up those definitions for instance a woman is an adult human female. Go figure that stupidity out

Most cultures have 4-7 genders? Well one you are confusing social with biological gender as there are only two in biology. But if you feel social gender rules over science..whatever. also define most. As in almost all but western culture has 4-7 social genders?

Oppression/white privilege?????? Some people's children are amazing ...I'll leave it alone.

I think that rant could be turned into a comedy routine by the right person. Just amazing.

originally posted by: bastion

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: bastion

OK, explain to me how you participate in a gender studies class and study gender if your teacher does not let you use gender terminology without it lowering your grade?

You use wit and vocabulary to find the appropriate terminology, if someone lacks the basic skills to do that or respect for their professor and university syllabus they clearly lack the basic skills, respect or personality for the profession.

Boys have a penis. Girls have verginas.