Bloggers Walk Softly?

There is a lot of talk going on in the media about the liberal environment in academia. Being a graduate student, I see it every day. And I am frustrated by it every day. I come home after an experience on campus and more often than not, I'm just angry. Graduate school has been an extreme disappointment in terms of difficulty, learning, and usefulness. But I've put too much money into the piece of paper to walk away without it now.

I am a conservative but the fact that I am conservative is not the reason I dislike the liberal environment. I am strong willed and outgoing but I am repeatedly intimidated by situations that arise on campus.

The academic environment is rich with students that are actively liberal or those sympathetic to the liberal agenda. This is only a problem because it is a regular occurrence that a professor misuses the classroom as a political pulpit. Issues become overly politicized and debate is not encouraged. How many students do you know who are willing to risk their GPA for the sake of having the minority opinion voiced? Not many. And it is a risk that they take. There is no question that disagreeing with a political preacher is academic suicide.

This week I have learned that voicing your discontent with an academic program has become dangerous as well. On my old site I posted the following:

"Sci/Tech/NatSec...uh....this guy has no idea what he's doing....don't think he's really had much (read: ANY) teaching experience. And he's getting advice from Dr. Adams *puke* the director of my program, creator of "learn how to hate America" class, and someone I thoroughly DO NOT enjoy. Tonight will be our second class so I can't really comment on my enjoyment level just yet."

A month later, the Director e-mailed me to question if I had made the comments. I owned up to them clarifying that the comments were in reference to my academic experience alone. I have chosen my words carefully to avoid antagonizing him further. He has continued to be hostile and has bordered on harassment. My comments were made in a setting unaffiliated with the university and I believe were distributed to him by someone with malicious intent.

I have had this man as a professor and disliked the content and direction of his course. I disliked his teaching style and the type of assignments he asked of us. In meetings with him as my director (who must sign off on a multitude of things) he has behaved in an unprofessional and disrespectful manner. As a result, I am not a fan of this man.

I stand by my comments - a victim of liberal academia unwilling to be silently trounced upon