"We argue that "faculty members could hold strong viewpoints and yet act in accordance with the highest professional standards." We state emphatically that "it is not possible to make faculty experts refrain from articulating any political viewpoint" while adding that "it is possible to require that they limit the viewpoints expressed in classes to those that are academically justifiable and germane, and to create a space in class where other defensible positions can be expressed.""
"We acknowledge that this "requires difficult judgments about when opinion shades into unethical political indoctrination"-which is why we then go through several case studies to elucidate those judgments. Mr. Wilson's view is that "professors who fail to do their jobs and teach their politics instead of the subject of their classes can still be punished-but only for failing to do their jobs, and not for the mere mention of politics." We agree."
Academic freedom cannot realistically demand that faculty refrain from taking political positions. The University of California abandoned a longstanding requirement that faculty be 'neutral' and 'dispassionate' when exercising academic freedom in 2003. Faculty members can hold strong viewpoints while maintaining high professional standards. It is not possible to prevent faculty experts from articulating political viewpoints, but it is possible to require that viewpoints expressed in classes be academically justifiable, germane, and presented to allow other defensible positions. Determining when opinion becomes unethical political indoctrination requires difficult judgment clarified through case studies. Professors who teach politics instead of course subject matter may be punished for failing job duties, not for mere mention of politics.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]