I'm wrongly identified as a political idealogue by colleagues of mine who are themselves political idealogues =) Perhaps the definition of a political idealogue is "someone who disagrees with my political views".
Unlike others, though, I don't force my views on my students. I may share those views on occasion, but I don't force those views on students. In fact, former students of mine who have commented on this blog have been, more often than not, members of a political persuasion not at all like my own, and they certainly didn't fear commenting here when they were students. It's not like I can take off points on a trig test for not "recognizing Ronald Reagan's overwhelmingly positive impact on our country" =)
In fact, this year I'm taking yet another step. I was approached by a student and asked if I'd be the faculty sponsor for a new club, a school chapter of the International Justice Mission. Go read their web site--they do some good work (holding people accountable for participation in the global sex trade, for example), but they use some leftie buzz words, too (e.g., 'social justice'). It gave me pause, but I don't have to believe in everything that organization believes in any more than my students have to believe in everything I believe in. It's not like I'm sponsoring a racist club like a MEChA chapter or something.
I walk the walk as far as welcoming differing opinions. I challenge my colleagues to do the same. I wonder who will sponsor the Young Republicans Club....
I was privileged to attend a talk given by the President of IJM, Gary Haugen. They do great work, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better cause to support.
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