Tenure and Teachers Unions; Am I fucked? - BF2S Forums

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Tenure and Teachers Unions; Am I fucked?

2009-11-18 20:14:30

#1

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5872

In my Human and Intercultural Relations class we have been getting weekly writing assignments which we have to read something and give our opinion on it. I handed all of them in and just got back most of them today.

They don't have grades on them since the Professor decided not to grade any of them but he left remarks on them. One one he called my opinion "narrow minded" on another"said I was suffering from tunnel vision" and in the last one

Serious Remark left on paper wrote:
If you really believe half of what you constantly espouse, then I encourage you to find a deserted island somewhere and make yourself at home! It's going to be a long isolation! Learn something else beside your own dogma.

Now within this semester I've handed in like 30 papers on various things for all my classes and always get A's, the time I didn't get an A's the Professor left advice and corrections in a meaningful way.

My grades are important to me and I want to raise my 3.5 to something higher but I'm afraid that since I don't totally agree with this self described socialist for everything I'm going to end up with a C. I'm keeping my paper for records and everything but should I even bother to raise a fuss if I get a low grade since I didn't recycle his thoughts onto my opinion papers or would it be a waste of time since he has the teachers union backing him and I would have to deal with other professors which are his friends?

He did ask for my opinion and college is supposed to be a place of learning and intellectual advancement, am I missing something here or is it just one big submissive diploma mill pumping out robotic leftist and sycophants?

2009-11-18 20:21:51

#2

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6439|what

Macbeth wrote:
He did ask for my opinion and college is supposed to be a place of learning and intellectual advancement, am I missing something here or is it just one big submissive diploma mill pumping out robotic leftist and sycophants?

That's a very narrow minded opinion.

https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png

2009-11-18 20:24:55

#3

Pochsy: Artifice of Eternity; +702|5830|Toronto

Back up your opinion- which is what you always have to do in university. Even if you were to regurgitate the professor's sentiments you would need to do this. I really do like your division of 'place of learning' and 'pumping out robotic leftist sycophants'. So pumping out right wing nuts can not also be the case? At this rate I know exactly why he wrote what he has.

The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families

2009-11-18 20:26:07

#4

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6439|what

Macbeth wrote:
I'm keeping my paper for records and everything but should I even bother to raise a fuss if I get a low grade since I didn't recycle his thoughts onto my opinion papers or would it be a waste of time since he has the teachers union backing him and I would have to deal with other professors which are his friends?

... what do you think teachers unions do exactly...?

They fight for better pay and working conditions. They don't mark students badly because they are of a differing ideological perspective. imo you probably need to argue your case better by contrasting an opposing view in more depth if your teacher thinks you are too narrow minded.

And you don't have any idea if he would have marked you with an A anyway. It sounds to me like you expect to be spoonfed A's simply because you've gotten them in the past and never learned to take any real criticism. In the real world you won't be getting A's either.

Do you need a gold star to justify your own opinions?

Last edited by AussieReaper (2009-11-18 20:27:16)

https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png

2009-11-18 20:28:35

#5

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5872

Pochsy wrote:
Back up your opinion- which is what you always have to do in university. Even if you were to regurgitate the professor's sentiments you would need to do this. I really do like your division of 'place of learning' and 'pumping out robotic leftist sycophants'. So pumping out right wing nuts can not also be the case? At this rate I know exactly why he wrote what he has.

Of course I back up my opinion. Don't be dumbass, all of my professor are leftist and socialist, which is fine but it seems that unless you follow the same leftist attitude your grades will suffer and you'll be called narrow minded and dogmatic since your dogma and mind isn't in the pocket of the left.

That is what I mean by pumping out leftist and sycophants. The leftist thrive, the conservatives are punished and the sycophants manage to get by.

AussieReaper wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
I'm keeping my paper for records and everything but should I even bother to raise a fuss if I get a low grade since I didn't recycle his thoughts onto my opinion papers or would it be a waste of time since he has the teachers union backing him and I would have to deal with other professors which are his friends?
... what do you think teachers unions do exactly...? Make sure their sometimes sub par teachers keep their jobs

They fight for better pay and working conditions. They don't mark students badly because they are of a differing ideological perspective. imo you probably need to argue your case better by contrasting an opposing view in more depth if your teacher thinks you are too narrow minded.

And you don't have any idea if he would have marked you with an A anyway. It sounds to me like you expect to be spoonfed A's simply because you've gotten them in the past and never learned to take any real criticism. In the real world you won't be getting A's either. No shit, I know in the "real world", something I have a better understanding of then most of the dipshit teenagers here, you won't given A's for good work. I'm saying that how do you ask for someone views on something and then punish them when they give a view you don't like? How can you call one person views narrow minded but your own perfect? That doesn't seem wrong to you?

Do you need a gold star to justify your own opinions?No but when I write better then the rest of the entire class and put in huge amounts of effort being punished for having a view not liked is fucked up.

Last edited by Macbeth (2009-11-18 20:34:46)

2009-11-18 20:35:25

#6

cowami: OY, BITCHTITS!; +1,106|6576|Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

go to an engineering school, or a school down south, innit

i'm just about the most liberal of all the people at this school, and i have relatively moderate views

https://i.imgur.com/PfIpcdn.gif

2009-11-18 20:38:55

#7

Dilbert_X: The X stands for; +1,817|6393|eXtreme to the maX

This is one reason I picked engineering, opinion doesn't come into it.

Fuck Israel

2009-11-18 20:40:44

#8

Pochsy: Artifice of Eternity; +702|5830|Toronto

Are you acknowledging the Liberal position and offering your own interpretation in contrast to it? You don't have to agree, but you do need show you know both sides of the coin within the paper. Your analysis should outline both theories as objectively as possible, and based on the inherent weaknesses of either argument weigh which is the most plausible. Opinion in that you choose which downfalls are the most livable to you- but you have to show them all.

I know this is 10th grade shit, but you had better make sure you are in fact doing this before you go on the hunt for Liberal professor blood.

Last edited by Pochsy (2009-11-18 20:42:22)

The shape of an eye in front of the ocean, digging for stones and throwing them against its window pane. Take it down dreamer, take it down deep. - Other Families

2009-11-18 20:49:41

#9

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6439|what

Macbeth wrote:
AussieReaper wrote:
... what do you think teachers unions do exactly...?
Make sure their sometimes sub par teachers keep their jobs

I think we're done here.

You can cry all you like about the unfair biased teachers, if you're too narrow-minded to even look at the perspective from a teachers union but still claim they are the ones with the dogma you just proved your professor correct.

https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png

2009-11-18 21:51:04

#10

Catbox: forgiveness; +505|7003

AussieReaper wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
AussieReaper wrote:
... what do you think teachers unions do exactly...?
Make sure their sometimes sub par teachers keep their jobs
I think we're done here.

You can cry all you like about the unfair biased teachers, if you're too narrow-minded to even look at the perspective from a teachers union but still claim they are the ones with the dogma you just proved your professor correct.

you're wrong... the colleges in the US are filled with left leaning professors who love a good debate... as long as you agree with what they are saying. I know friends who had to edit their thoughts and papers to get through a class with a good grade.

The Teachers union is terrible... crappy teachers that cant get fired... because they are in the union.
I have talked to good teachers who complain about the union and how they are run.

And the other thing about most college professors is that they couldn't hack it in the real world.... so they become teachers...(I know there are some amazing teachers but there is a large number of leftist kooks)

And to be fair i don't think that Far right conservative teachers should grade liberal kids poorly because of their views.
How about the teacher teaches and grades on the students performance

Love is the answer

2009-11-18 22:29:29

#11

Skorpy-chan: Member; +127|6632|Twyford, UK

It's Life Lesson Time!

When asked for your opinion by someone with power over you, agree with them, rather than state your own, differing opinion.

2009-11-18 22:38:04

#12

Hurricane2k9: Pendulous Sweaty Balls; +1,538|5988|College Park, MD

Skorpy-chan wrote:
It's Life Lesson Time!

When asked for your opinion by someone with power over you, agree with them, rather than state your own, differing opinion.

Unfortunately true. Colleges should be a place where people can freely express their own views and back them up. Unfortunately, most colleges in the US are either somewhat liberal to extremely liberal. I've heard plenty of stories of criminal justice majors who are interested in becoming police officers forced to hear endless tirades from professors and students about how "the man" is keeping them down.

Basically Mac, just do something neutral like accounting or engineering or finance or the sciences. Stay away from the humanities because chances are they'll be taught by someone who preaches understanding and tolerance (but only if the thing you're tolerating isn't conservatism!). Either that or go to a more conservative school.

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/36793/marylandsig.jpg

2009-11-18 23:41:17

#13

mcgid1: Meh...; +129|7003|Austin, TX/San Antonio, TX

1. Back up your opinion

2. Accept that in college there are some professors who's definition of "narrow minded" is any view outside of their own "educated and enlightened" view

3. If it was a temporary professor, there might be something you can do, but if they have tenure, you've got nothing.

I've been fairly lucky in my time in college in that most of my professors will accept my arguments against their views as long as I can provide an acceptable amount of supporting evidence. There are a few, however, who think that their world view is the only world view, and in those cases it is usually best just to play along with them and agree with whatever they say.

2009-11-19 00:13:31

#14

Diesel_dyk: Object in mirror will feel larger than it appears; +178|6281|Truthistan

You took a Human and Intercultural Relations class?
Was it an elective?
why on earth, given your point of views, would you take that class?

You should have known before you ever set foot in the class what a class like that would be like. A class like that is going to be about critical thinking and deconstructing societal issues. If you disagreed with the class material, the prof would just assume that you haven't picked up on the analytical tools being taught in the class or that you are hopelessly mired in a belief system that supports the status quo.

I once took a class in summer session with a visiting professor who was a self avowed trotskyist. And in the class a young blonde girl who said "why are you running down capitalism?!?!" and yes she did look like little miss south carolina. Well the prof plucked up his intellectual feathers and lectured at her at about 5 steps beyond this girls comprehension level and I felt so embarrassed for her, anyway, she dropped the class.

If this class that you took was an elective, you should have dropped it, either that or learn to eat crap that you hate and call it chocolate ice cream.

Besides undergrad is all about writing well and its not really about your original thought. And you can forget about fighting the profs, they stick together and to them trouble students are the norm, students either sink or swim and the profs are not about to throw you a life line.

If you want to boost your grades, look for an econ class where there are lots of foreign students, like an econometrics class that has a paper component. You would be guaranteed to be one of the best writers in a class like that and the material is more objective in nature.

2009-11-19 03:21:13

#15

Burwhale: Save the BlobFish!; +136|6509|Brisneyland

This really isnt DST worthy.
But anyways: First you basically want us to take your word that the lecturer was being unfair and Leftist, or whatever. But you dont provide any details of what the essay was supposed to be about, or your veiws on the subject/ or your teachers veiws for that matter. You just want us to believe that you were right/ he was wrong, case closed.

Based on the crap you post here, I think I agree with the lecturer but I am happy to get more details to change my mind.

Also , nothing to do with unions. If you have a problem with his marks, complain to the head of department/ or ask for a re-mark. Its not the first time its happened. Also ask him in person why he made those comments, when he was asking for your opinion.
For god sake man up about it. Find a solution instead of getting a dud coment and then blaming socialist/union/liberal/whatever.

2009-11-19 04:31:30

#16

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6936

Macbeth wrote:
They don't have grades on them since the Professor decided not to grade any of them but he left remarks on them. One one he called my opinion "narrow minded" on another"said I was suffering from tunnel vision" and in the last one

Based on some of the crap you post on here he's probably right.

As long as you back your argument up, teachers don't give a shit about your opinion. In fact, over here at least, the more ridiculous your opinion the better grade you could get, providing you can back it up. Sounds like you can't.

2009-11-19 04:44:33

#17

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6698|'Murka

Pochsy wrote:
Are you acknowledging the Liberal position and offering your own interpretation in contrast to it? You don't have to agree, but you do need show you know both sides of the coin within the paper. Your analysis should outline both theories as objectively as possible, and based on the inherent weaknesses of either argument weigh which is the most plausible. Opinion in that you choose which downfalls are the most livable to you- but you have to show them all.

I know this is 10th grade shit, but you had better make sure you are in fact doing this before you go on the hunt for Liberal professor blood.

The problem is that doesn't work in a liberal arts environment...particularly if the professor is predisposed on one side of the argument.

That's an analytical/engineering approach. Underappreciated in a liberal arts setting, from my experience.

However, it's certainly the best way to document things should you anticipate an appeal to the administration of the school if the prof screws you over.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2009-11-19 05:00:05

#18

jord: Member; +2,382|6965|The North, beyond the wall.

Post your essay.

Also you've taken an extremely liberal class in which I imagine the majority of teachers and students are liberal and you're moaning. Shudda expected it tb.h

2009-11-19 06:12:01

#19

Pug: UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate; +652|6829|Texas - Bigger than France

Mac, have you bothered to discuss this with the professor at all?

One thing I learned is you get better grades if you feel comfortable talking with the professors and they feel comfortable with you. It helps with perspective on both sides.

2009-11-19 06:28:28

#20

oug: Calmer than you are.; +380|6806|Πάϊ

Macbeth you idiot! The teacher doesn't grade your opinion, he grades your ability to express yourself in writing. Ideally he wishes he could teach all his students to be able to listen to different opinions, take them in and argue their thoughts be they for or against in a civilized manner. Your problem is you've set strict boundaries for what you think is right too soon and that is obviously hindering your ability to learn and to evolve.

But don't feel too special just yet, all kids do that to some degree. If you got A's till now it means you're good, but at the same time you're a dogmatic idiot! As an exercise for self-improvement - if indeed that is what you want to achieve - I'd suggest trying to argue against your beliefs - especially in matters you feel strongly about.

As for teachers' unions, listen to Aussie. They have nothing to do with you! lol

_ƒ³

2009-11-19 12:51:48

#21

Wreckognize: Member; +294|6772

I took a Racism and Diversity class, they're all taught by left wing blowhard idiots. My teacher was one of those people who thought Obama was the Messiah and his election would be the Second Coming. You can disagree with their opinions and still pass the class as long as you don't sound like a typical right wing nutjob who can't back up their arguments. All you need is a little brains.

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