Classrooms are supposed to be open forums, but Boston University students and professors say that if political views are to be shared, it should be done in a respectful and appropriate manner.
In the wake of controversy over course content sparked by recent Intelligent Design debates, College of General Studies Social Science Department Chairman Jay Corrin said social science professors are entitled to academic freedom. He said although professors are not told to be neutral, objectivity is something ingrained in most teachers.
“But students should be able to express a contrary view,” he said. “The classroom should not be used as a bully pulpit for a professor to advance his political agenda. You’re in a position of power, not only because you’re grading students, but because you influence them.”
Philosophy assistant professor Simon Keller said disclosing political views depend on the context of the class and how it is done.
“Sometimes it’s a good teaching strategy,” he said. “Sometimes it’s completely inappropriate. Often I’m presenting my own research and it’s not neutral. I’ll teach my own papers and it’s pretty obvious what I think and I’ll defend my view. Often students are interested.
“You’re going to have very bad teachers who remain neutral and very good teachers who remain neutral,” he continued. “Students should be evaluated based on how good their arguments are, not whether they came to the [professor’s] conclusion.”
College of Communication journalism lecturer Sheldon Toplitt said he does not think his personal political views are relevant to the classes he teaches. He said he tries to focus on politics only if the press has not covered something adequately.
“As a teacher I’m trying to reach everybody,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a proper form. In a classroom setting, this is where ideas should be able to be [passed] around. It’s not fair on the students’ time to sit there and expose my private beliefs. I also think it’s very private. I won’t answer pollsters, so I’m certainly not going to share it with the class.”
COM junior Marianne Aiello said many of the professors she has encountered have voiced their political feelings.
“I’ve had professors crack a Bush joke or put a silly picture of Bush up on the screen in lecture,” she said. “I think that they assume that since BU is so liberal that no one will be offended. I have never been upset by a professor’s viewpoint.”
But, Aiello said part of the reason she has not had a problem with professors discussing their political standpoints is because the majority of them share her personal opinions.
“All the professors I’ve had have been anti-Bush and pro-Red Sox,” she said, “just like me.”
College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Evelyn Vigistain said she thinks professors should try to teach from a neutral perspective and include their personal opinions unless they stress that it is their opinion and not a fact. She said professors, and especially teaching assistants, usually mention their political beliefs during lectures, which claim to be unbiased.
International Relations associate professor Michael Corgan said he tries to keep specific views out of his lectures, particularly in his introduction courses, adding that they “should not be a course of indoctrination.”
In his upper-level classes, he said he is more likely to focus on the view he agrees with. But, generally he aims to point out that there are many ways to look at things – beyond the views that he may present.
“I think [students] can benefit if a professor who puts their views out there in a controversial situation, puts a flag on them,” he said. “We study these things. We develop academic specialties and we’re going to come to certain viewpoints. You tell students it’s not a fact, but an opinion.”
CAS junior Hib Kline said it is hard for a professor to hide his own political beliefs while lecturing. When a professor is hired to teach a subject, it is because of his passion for the subject, and that usually means a bias, Kline said.
“It can often be helpful to understand the views of an authority figure, such as a professor, when formulating one’s own views,” he said. “I think that professors should use their discretion, but obviously they are not paid to teach a propaganda course.”
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