Conserve energy ÷ think for yourself
I confess: Iâm a conservative.
But I got to thinking a couple weeks ago when Mike Rosen, the KOA radio talk show host, said Metro doesnât have enough conservatives among its political science and economics faculty.
Rosen said heâs met many Metro professors and almost all were politically liberal. The result, he said, is that students get a one-sided education. Eventually, they are ãindoctrinatedä by the viewpoint professors express, he said.
He even suggested a program of ãaffirmative actionä for professors with minority ÷ read conservative ÷ ideologies.
My experience at Metro is that more professors call themselves liberal than conservative. I think Metro has more professors who support abortion rights, organized labor and social welfare programs ÷ traditional planks in the liberal platform ÷ than professors who donât.
But to test my perception, I sent an e-mail message to 16 faculty members in the political science, economics and journalism departments. I asked for their political affiliations and comments on how their politics affect the way they teach. I also interviewed a few by phone.
Oneida Meranto, a political science professor, seemed to find my questions offensive.
ãTo suggest any school hire according to political persuasion goes against our academic freedom,ä Meranto said. ãItâs none of anyoneâs business what parties we belong to.
ãFurthermore, to assume our ideology dictates our classroom behavior and the books we use is ludicrous. What Mike (Rosen) really fears is women and people of color, not liberals or ideology.ä
Other professors, however, admitted their political leanings affect what happens in the classroom.
Erick Erickson, an economics professor, said: ãA professorâs political beliefs are relevant in the teaching of economics. They determine the material he covers and color his normative analysis.ä
Erickson scoffed at the idea that Metro should assure its faculty hold a variety of political beliefs.
ãDiversity is a silly, anti-intellectual institutional goal,ä he said. ãPolitical diversity would award offbeat opinions. I do not recognize a democracy of ideas.ä
Journalism Professor Jay Brodell, a registered Republican, said: ãI think that my political beliefs are relevant to the job since they represent the traditional attitude of working journalists. In most cases, I would think that a prof should keep strong political beliefs out of the classroom. That goes double for actual endorsements.
ã(But) professors in political science departments are supposed to be more political than in, say, the math department. They should be free to express their views. We are enhanced by the expression of various political views.ä
Personally, I donât care what my professorsâ politics are, though it would be nice to think they came from all political stripes. Most effectively present both views. I have left several classes understanding the material but not knowing for sure where the professor was coming from.
Even if some professors strongly advocate one side, Rosen is wrong to say students are automatically indoctrinated. When we spoke on the phone, Rosen said young college students often suffer from soft intellect.
ãYouâre dealing with very unsophisticated, impressionable minds,ä he said. ãThese are people thirsting to be revolutionaries. Theyâre thirsting to give in to their idealism.ä
Thatâs an easy argument to make. Middle-aged loud mouths have made it for thousands of years. But, like Rosenâs position on college professors and conservatism, it is impossible to prove.
I donât measure my intelligence by how closely I agree with Mike Rosen or my college professors. No one should.
Itâs patently anti-conservative to say college students need a shield from ideas and opinions that contradict their own. The heart of conservatism is personal responsibility, and if Rosen thinks he needs to save me from my own ignorant tendencies, perhaps heâs not so conservative after all.
