About time!

I had the misfortune of taking three TE classes, in a blue state. Most frequent phrase: “Bush is a moron.” Funniest moment: during discussion on women’s ethnography, not one male reply to the comment, “why aren’t the men joining in the discussion?”

A small group of taxpayer-owned institutions get tax dollars to feed workers into the Public School Monopoly — then wonder why an organizational phrase like “social justice” draws reviews.

How about social justice for the average working class person? Like, “how long can these costs be economically sustained? What can we do, differently?”

B.J.S., Former TE student at Mega State U, at 5:34 am EST on November 2, 2005

Social Justice

“Social justice” is ussually a reference to leftist political action, rather than an abstract goal. Frankly, the goals ussually set out as “social justice” are terribly counterproductive and tend to be dreamland-like expensive ideas.

A Requirement no less: now this is a mess.

Kevin, Undergraduate, at 11:30 am EST on November 2, 2005

“‘Social justice’ isn’t liberal vs. conservative. It’s about ensuring that people who are ignorant, racist, and judgemental people aren’t shaping the minds of our youth.”

Sounds fine, and I agree with the idea—I wouldn’t want my kids in a classroom with the teacher MLH worked with—but it’s the way it plays out in practice that’s the problem. Too often the people in academia and politics who promote social justice forget that they’re as prone to ignorance, racism, and unfounded judgment as most of the people they’re trying to educate.

I’d describe myself as a thoughtful political moderate; I’m not precisely conservative, but I can attest to the ideological pressure that’s brought to bear in places like education and english departments that claim to make social justice part of their mission.

In the hands of political zealots (though they may be few), a worthy ideal like social justice can indeed become a bludgeon that squashes dissent and punishes people who disagree.

The results of this kind of ideological intolerance aren’t always as extreme (or media-friendly) as the recent case here at Washington State. But I’ve personally seen many bright, thoughtful people, who could become great teachers, systematically attacked for their political views and eventually discouraged from pursuing their profession—by the very people who should be broad-minded enough to see a larger picture. That’s definitely worth worrying about.

It’s about time for some sharp scrutiny of how the ideologues—on both ends of the political spectrum—really affect academia and society.

D.R., Editor at Washington State University, at 4:51 pm EST on November 2, 2005

Disposition

I could teach but I have a disposition against dispositions. I heard the University of Wisconsin is genetically engineering teachers now!!!

mike, at 6:19 pm EST on November 2, 2005

Social Justice a dirty word?

How did “social justice” become a dirty word? Is the NAS saying they believe that there should be no social justice? The NCATE and CSWE standards are not saying that schools of social work or teacher education have to teach students to believe a certain way. What is wrong with wanting teachers and social workers to want justice for all people?

LG, at 4:50 pm EST on November 10, 2005

social justice

social justice has a long history.

advocates of social justice are saying justice of the ordinary variety is not good enough. in other words, advocates of social justice ined schools are requiring teacher credential students to change their attitudes about society as it is, and regard it as insufficient. They appear to be asking teacher credential candidates to commit to changing society via changing the methods by which the society deems proper for achieving ordinary (in contrast to social) justice. that is, achieving societal and economic and cultural and educational system change by extra-legal means.

s, at 8:35 pm EDT on May 7, 2006