Friday, October 27, 2006

Ideological Litmus Tests at Universities

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is on the case of at least two instances of ideological litmus tests used in university programs--and you know those universities are not looking for right-of-center students, either.

FIRE is asking the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take action against political litmus tests in America’s schools of social work. Currently, HHS requires its social workers to have degrees from programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), whose standards require evaluating students on the basis of their beliefs about “social and economic justice.” FIRE urged HHS to end its relationship with CSWE unless CSWE drops these vague and politically loaded standards, a request echoed by the National Association of Scholars and the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. more here


And then, of course, there's Columbia Teachers College:

FIRE’s criticism of vague and politically loaded “social justice” requirements at Teachers College, the graduate school of education at Columbia University, has garnered attention in the New York media today. The New York Sun has an article on Teachers College’s policies and an editorial opining that such requirements exemplify how Columbia has forsaken merit for indoctrination. A column by FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff and Robert Shibley also appears in today’s New York Post, explaining that Columbia President Lee Bollinger’s recent affirmations of free speech are inconsistent with Teachers College’s ideological requirements. Stay tuned as FIRE continues to fight this battle for freedom of the mind at Teachers College and at institutions across the country. more here


Lefties will tell you that these examples, like liberal media bias, are just phantoms of the conservative imagination. I'm sure they'd like to think so.

2 comments:

Ellen K said...

It doesn't surprise me. I have heard from many former students that their professors demand adherance to specific philosophies when writing papers. Most of these kids are smart enough to write to the bias so they can get the credit, but that doesn't mean that they believe all the crap they are spoonfed. I believe you will see many college graduates that don't buy into the bias and who will pay back politically those who forced it upon them. Call it what you will, but I liken it to Intellectual Rape when you force your ideas in a closed forum and allow no others.

Anonymous said...

"Lefties will tell you that these examples, like liberal media bias, are just phantoms of the conservative imagination."

Liberals are always playing the "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" game because they know that if they honestly stated their agenda, they would never get elected in this nation.