For years, California's Barbara "call me Senator" Boxer held court as the stupidest person in the US Senate, especially after Slow Joe Biden became Vice President. Boxer's replacement, Kamala Harris, claimed Boxer's seat as well as her "stupidest Senator" mantle.
But lately, others seem to want to challenge Harris' position. There's a mad rush to the IQ cellar, and right now Hawaii's Mazie Hirono is giving Harris a good run for the money:
As they say so often on Instapundit, we have the worst ruling class in our history.
Out of curiosity, how much do you spend talking about your political views in the classroom?
ReplyDeleteI teach middle school history and rarely mention my views. I want my students to make up their own minds so I present both sides. I tell my students, "If you want to know who I voted for, ask me on the last day of school."
I would still vote for Hank Johnson, who was recorded as worrying that Guam would tip over.
ReplyDeleteDavid, my students are aware of my political leanings. I'm the "go-to" for the school paper whenever there's a politically-charged story and they need a conservative comment.
ReplyDelete"How much"? I don't know. I takes a lot of time to teach statistics, and I do a good job at teaching statistics. Takes a lot of time to teach pre-calculus, too, and I do that as well. If something comes up there might be a comment or a minute or so of discussion, but after that I divert the topic back to class. We've got math to learn.
So I guess I don't shy away from my conservative beliefs, but they don't take center stage in my classes--not even in election season when we're studying sampling and polling.
With my subject, I will present both sides like stuff in the Constitution. If With today's Kavanuagh hearings, I mentioned how it shows the 3 branches of government and checks and balances, but stayed far away from the Ford stuff. When I go over something like the bill of rights, I will say "You have the right to own a gun but SCOTUS has said there are certain restrictions like x, y and z." and "you have freedom of speech like you can praise trump (or obama when he was prez) or attack him. In many other countries, you can go to jail or worse for attacking the leader verbally." I will show my views occasionally like showing how large the US debt is or how much one pays in taxes every year; kids are usually shocked at that.
ReplyDeleteKakistocracy is defined as a system of government which is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens.
ReplyDelete'Nuf said.
Great response to David. I keep very quiet about my non-leftist views. I am an independent (former moderate Republican and Libertarianish... not sure what label to give myself these days?) surrounded by liberal colleagues - some of them leftists, some of them moderate. My students are a mix of both - old money conservatives and nouveaux riche liberals (limousine liberals?) I am too afraid to say anything for fear of being called something like an "intolerant". Everyone assumes that I am a liberal democrat because of my gender (woman) and ethnicity (Latino/a) and not religious.
ReplyDelete*cue in the eyeroll*
I'd love to meet more conservative and independent colleagues at my school but they're too scared to say anything, I am sure.
I hear you there, Anonymous...
ReplyDeleteAt a department meeting the other week, where I teach, one instructor reminded us that we shouldn't grade papers by "white" standards (as if good grammar and clear sentences = white culture?). He himself is, of course, white and male.
I kept silent.
Another faculty member was gleeful to be the advisor for campus Muslim Alliance club. the virtue signalling was clear in her eyes.
I kept silent, because I doubt they really want to have to tolerate actual diversity of thought.
I suggest Maxine Waters as a contender.
ReplyDelete