As with other places around the country, apparently students at Colorado University at Boulder have complained about being harassed, threatened, or graded poorly for failing to advocate liberal positions.
In response to student complaints, the conservative-led Colorado State Senate held hearings on the situation. I was shocked by what I've heard has transpired there.
For example, one History student apparently wasn't told, up front, the full price necessary to earn her Ph.D. Imagine her shock after putting in so many years of study...
Michele Anderson Schmidt, a conservative Republican from Berthoud, told the committee that she had been subjected to insults from professors for her beliefs since beginning her studies at CU. During her first final oral exam, she said she was unable to answer when a professor asked "What do you think about strong, dominant, masculine, penile America raping poor, soft, feminine South Vietnam?" because it brought back memories of being raped at 15.
When she studied for another two years and took her final exams again, she said her professors tripped her up by asking obscure questions.
She also testified that she'd been told she should be "taken out and lynched" for her views as a religious conservative.
Shocking.
But it gets more amazing, if that were possible...
According to KUSA TV, Denver:
Ian Van Buskirk, a junior at the University of Colorado at Boulder, urged the House Education Committee to pass the measure (House Bill 1315) to discourage professors he says discriminate against students for their political views.
As he walked away from the witness table, Metro State philosophy professor Tim Gould walked up to him and said something as they stood nose-to-nose. Van Buskirk backed away, saying "Do you want to put that into the record?"
Majority Leader Keith King, R-Colorado Springs, saw the exchange and asked both come back to the table. Van Buskirk told committee members that Gould used profanity and threatened to sue him in court. Gould denied swearing.
"I said, 'Send me a chilling message and I'll see you in court,"' Gould said.
Amazing. The kid's testifying he's been harassed by professors, and a philosophy professor walks up to him and threatens to sue him! Publicly, in Senate chambers!
A representative summed up my reaction, exactly:
"If he behaves that way in a committee room, in front of the media imagine how comfortable he must feel in his own classroom," he said.
Yes, indeed.
I'm not sure if the proposal they're debating is the right way to go. On one hand, appealing to your professors to complain about ... being harassed by your professors (?) ... seems obviously ineffective. On the other hand, I'm loathe to regulate academic freedom the other way.
Rather than tell the professors what to teach, or not, perhaps the state should simply de-fund the school, let it become an independent economic entity. If we want to argue the state has a vested interest in giving it's students educational subsidies, then find the students, and give them the same funds to spend wherever they'd like.
But I'm open to other suggestions.