Request for suggestions on response to

[cilla4progress]

my daughter's community college instructor.

My (progressive) high school senior daughter is taking some courses at the local community college for dual credit (yay public education!). She has fallen into the clutches of a wacko right-wing econ instructor. He is brilliant, in his way - in the way a Glen Beck or other svengali would be...a powerful communicator.

He continually throws out such right wing solids as:

- "Leftists" want to weed out the "special" kids through abortion so we aren't saddled with their health care costs during life
- There is no such thing as human-caused global warming
- Leftists believe Palin should have aborted her downs syndrome baby
- Social security is a socialist tool (of course, he can't WAIT to get his hands on HIS social security)
- Global warming is "junk science" and it is really just a political agenda so that we can tax Americans in order to raise money for developing countries
- "Green people want to reduce the standard of living in America. It has nothing to do with the environment..it's an economic agenda."
- The only news to be skeptical of is CNN, etc. (never mentioned Fox)
- Educational reform: Reading/'Riting/'Rithametic is now Racism/Reproducing/Recycling...and ruining our country!


Seriously, the guy is at least a tea partier if not a birther. At this point, our plan is that at quarter's end I'll write to the college admin to complain about his one-sidedness. I'm thinking the ADMIN is afraid of him and just waiting him out till retirement!


I'm interested in any ideas for dealing with him! I would love for my daughter to confront him, but that's a lot to expect. I suggested she raise her hand and ask him if he's seen Obama's birth certificate! Can't wait to get this guy. We live in a very conservative area, but this is beyond the pale!

-

[rucky]

1. I hope he's not teaching science!

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. How did we ever reach a point where batshit nutz is the new normal?

And how did we ever decide that these people should teach our children? I'm sorry but in my day we wouldn't give these people the time of day, much less let them address our students!

[Bluzmann57]

3. This guy is teaching the youth of America?

Jesus Christ, I am scared. A guy like this is dangerous because he obviously believes what he is saying. There is nothing wrong with HONEST and open debate, but when a professor is spouting his or her own personal beliefs to a class of young people, it is time to confront them.
I suppose this is what the teahadists are trying to do as well, but in this case, he is a man who needs to be stopped. Not censored, just countered with other views.

[bemildred]

4. You need to inquire into the lay of the land.

Most schools nowadays provide the means for anonymous complaint about professors. There might be other methods. He might be part of the old boy network. You don't want to get your daughter in trouble for nothing.

[leftstreet]

5. Can she organize other students?

It could be a good experience for her to reach out, talk with others and brainstorm for solutions

[cilla4progress]

8. We're so red here,

most if not all other students agree with him. And if not, they are very brainwashable! I think some of this has to do with the "give" Fox does of it's TV stations on basic cable.

We researched this guy the 1st week of classes when he began his rants. Do you know, the college instructor review websites all had him really well-rated! So we thought maybe it was just temporary or a gimmick. Nope. The real deal. Scary.

[EFerrari]

6. He sounds like an idiot. I wouldn't confront him.

Let her get her A and keep track of all his wacko rants. Deal with it with the administration after she is out of his clutches. It's not fair to her for this guy to set her back. It will keep.

[CBHagman]

7. A couple of thoughts...

Part of the problem with someone like that is that he puts the onus on his listeners to prove him wrong because he won't accept that his reasoning is faulty and/or he hasn't looked at facts. Being on the defensive is not a good place to start, but your daughter might consider learning about illogical thoughts (for example, cognitive distortions, cognitive dissonance, etc.) and also work at recognizing a poorly constructed argument.

I've provided a couple of links to explanations of logical fallacies below. These are used so often in political rhetoric -- on op-ed pages, at press conferences, in political ads, etc. -- but they're pure spin, only by Latin names. ;-)


Logical fallacies and examples:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html

http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/fallacies/fallacies_alpha.htm

* Absurd Extrapolation: see Slippery Slope
* Abusive Ad Hominem: see Attack the person
* Accent: Emphasis that changes the meaning of the sentence.
* Accident: A general rule used to explain a specific case not covered by it.
* Ad Absurdum: see Appeal to Ridicule
* Ad Antiquitatem: see Appeal to Tradition
* Ad Baculum: see Appeal to Fear
* Ad Hominem: see Attack the person
* Ad Hominem Abusive: see Attack the person
* Ad Hominem Tu Quoque: See Personal Inconsistency
* Ad Ignorantium: see Argument from Ignorance
* Ad Metum: see Appeal to Fear
* Ad Misericordiam: see Appeal to Pity
* Ad Nauseum: see Repetition
* Ad Novitam: see Appeal to Novelty
* Ad Numeram: see Appeal to Common Practice
* Ad Populum: see Appeal to Common Belief or Bandwagon
* Ad Verecundiam: see Appeal to Authority
* Affirming the Consequent: If A then B. B is true, so A is true.
* Alleged Certainty: see Assertion
* Anger: Using anger as a weapon.
* Amphibology: see Amphiboly
* Amphiboly: A sentence has two different meanings.
* Appeal to Authority: Referencing an 'expert'.
* Appeal to Belief: see Appeal to Common Belief.
* Appeal to Common Belief: If others believe it to be true, it must be true.
* Appeal to Common Practice: If others do it, it must be ok to do it too.
* Appeal to Consequences of a Belief: see Wishful thinking
* Appeal to Emotion: If it feels good, it must be true.
* Appeal to Fear: Gaining compliance through threat.
* Appeal to Force: see Appeal to Fear
* Appeal to Ignorance: see
* Appeal to Majority: see Common Belief
* Argument from ignorance
* Appeal to Novelty: Newer is better.
* Appeal to Pity: Going for the sympathy vote.
* Appeal to Ridicule: Mocking the other person's claim.
* Appeal to Sympathy: see Appeal to Pity
* Appeal to Tradition: It has always been done this way, so this way is right.
* Argument from Ignorance: Accepting circumstantial evidence.
* Assertion: What I say is true.
* Attack the Person: Distracting them from their argument.
* Bandwagon: see Appeal to Common Belief
* Begging the Question: Circular reasoning to prove assumed premise.
* Biased Sample: see Unrepresentative Sample
* Bifurcation: see False Dilemma
* Black and White Thinking: see Excluded Middle
* Burden of proof: see Argument from Ignorance
* Canceling Hypotheses: see Conspiracy Theory
* Chicken and Egg argument: see Begging the Question
* Circular Definition: see Begging the Question
* Circular Reasoning: see Begging the Question
* Circulus in Demonstrando: see Begging the Question
* Circumstantial Ad Hominem: see Attack the person
* Complex Question: two questions, one answer allowed.
* Composition: Generalizing from a few to the whole set.
* Consequences: see Appeal to Fear
* Conspiracy Theory: Reframe refutation as further proof.
* Converse Accident: see Hasty Generalization
* Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc: see False Cause
* Denying the Antecedent: If A then B. A is false, so B is false.
* Destroying the Exception: see Accident
* Dicto Simpliciter: see Accident
* Discredit: see Poisoning the Well
* Division: Assuming the parts have the characteristics of the whole.
* Double Bind: see Complex Question
* Ecological fallacy: Conclusion about individual from group data.
* Exception fallacy: Conclusions about group from individual data.
* Either/Or: see False Dilemma
* Emphasis: see Accent
* Equivocation: A single word with more than one meaning.
* Excluded Middle: Only extreme views are valid.
* Fallacy of Exclusion: see Unrepresentative Sample
* False Analogy: X has property Y. Z is like X. So Z has property Y.
* False Cause: A causes B (but no proof).
* False Compromise: Extreme views are wrong. The middle way is right.
* False Dichotomy: see False Dilemma or Excluded Middle
* False Dilemma: Choice is A or B. Rejecting A is selecting B.
* False Division: see Division
* False Effect: A is assumed to cause B. B is proven wrong, so A is wrong.
* False Metaphor: see False Analogy
* False Question: see Complex Question
* Faulty Induction: see Composition
* Faulty Deduction: see Division
* Four Terms: All A is B. All C is D. So all A is D.
* From Ignorance: see Argument from ignorance
* Gambler's Fallacy: Chance can be predicted.
* Generalization: see Composition
* Hasty Generalization: Generalizing from too-small a sample.
* Hasty Induction: see Hasty Generalization
* Ignorance of Refutation: see Missing the Point
* Ignoratio Elenchi: see Missing the Point
* Illicit Major: All X is Y. No P (which is a subset of Y) is X. Therefore no P is Y.
* Illicit Minor: All X are Y. All X are P. Therefore all P are Y.
* In a Certain Respect and Simply: Extending assumed boundaries too far.
* Inconsistency: see Logical Inconsistency
* Inductive Generalization: see Hasty Generalization
* Insignificance: Making a minor cause seem major.
* Insufficient Sample: see Hasty Generalization
* Insufficient Statistics: see Hasty Generalization
* In Terrorem: see Appeal to Fear
* Irrelevant Conclusion: see Missing the Point
* Leaping to Conclusion: see Hasty Generalization
* Loaded Question: see Complex Question
* Logical Inconsistency: Arguments that contradict one another.
* Lonely Fact: see Hasty Generalization
* Many Questions: overloading them with lots of questions.
* Missing the Point: Drawing the wrong conclusion.
* Nagging: see Repetition
* Non Causa Pro Causa: see False Effect
* Non Sequitur: See Affirming the Consequent, Denying the Antecedent or Missing the Point.
* Petitio Principii: see Begging the Question
* Personal Inconsistency: Past words or deeds do not match claim.
* Plurium Interrogationum: see Many Questions
* Poisoning the Well: Discrediting the person before they speak.
* Polarization: see Excluded Middle
* Post Hoc: X follows Y. Therefore X is caused by Y.
* Post hoc, ergo propter hoc: see Post Hoc
* Questionable Cause: see False Cause
* Reasoning in a Circle: see Begging the Question
* Red Herring: Distracting with an irrelevancy.
* Reductio ad Absurdum: see Appeal to Ridicule
* Repetition: Repeating something makes it more true.
* Scare Tactics: see Appeal to Fear
* Secundum quid et simpliciter: see In a Certain Respect and Simply
* Slippery Slope: Loosely connected statements with ridiculous conclusion.
* Social Conformance: Agree with me or be socially isolated.
* Splitting the Difference: see False Compromise
* Statistical Generalization: see Hasty Generalization
* Strawman: Attack a weak argument used by the other person.
* Style over Substance: An attractive presentation makes it more right.
* Sweeping Generalization: see Accident
* Undistributed Middle: All A is B. All C is B. Therefore all C is A.
* Unrepresentative Sample: What is true about any sample is also true about the population.
* Value of Community: see Appeal to Common Belief
* Weak Analogy: see False Analogy
* Wishful Thinking: A is true because I want it to be true.
* You too: See Personal Inconsistency

Best of luck to you and to your daughter.

[Just One Woman]

9. I would file a formal complaint

And I wouldn't think twice. A Public college? Yep, it is harassment and offensive. It is spreading hate and intolerance. You can't argue with stupid, but you can file a complaint on it when it comes to education at a public school. And when you really want to anger him, ask him exactly which one was the white guy at the birth of jesus. Ask to see his papers. Ask him about the treaty of tripoli or the treaty of guadalupe and the purchase of arizona land. Ask him just how long it will be before his mother ship returns to get him.

[demmiblue]

10. I would have your daughter suck up to him and ask him if it is ok to record his lectures...

in order to study for tests/exams. You need evidence. From there, after she gets her grade, do as you will! :)

[Just One Woman]

11. I like your answer better than mine

Good thinking!

[demmiblue]

14. Thank you!

My thinking: since she is only in high school, a detrimental grade could very much affect college acceptance (it is very hard out there these days). I would not put it past someone like this to grade a student lower due to political ideals.

Personally, I have never heard of this kind of situation. Most teachers/professors, at any level of education, are pretty much "Switzerland."

Get a good grade, and then bust his arse!


* My advice, if she were a college student, would be much different!

[TBF]

19. Really good response. nt

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Do Libertarians Have Attitudes About Abortion?

Look, i think all his points are loony, but when did libertarians start taking a position on abortion?

If he's a true Hazletian or Randian libertarian, wouldn't he believe that government has no place in telling people what they can do with their own bodies.

And, a cover story in Bloomberg Magazine is title "Why Business Doesn't Trust Her" The "her" is Palin. So, it would appear liberarians don't like the Alaskan twit.

He's defending her and supporting her. Sounds like he's a radical conservative nutjob who hides behind a more impressive sounding political category.
GAC

[ChoppinBroccoli]

16. It Was My Understanding That Libertarians Wanted All Govt. Out Of Your Life

And that would include abortions. I even heard a self-professed Libertarian say something about how he didn't care if people had abortions just the other day.

Now, I also recognize that most people calling themselves "Libertarians" these days are nothing more than Republicans who want to legalize drugs and/or Republicans who are embarrassed to say so. So for that reason, there's a good possibility some Libertarians oppose abortions. But I don't think you can be a real Libertarian and support anything that involves Governmental interference into people's lives.

And just for the record, I don't believe Sarah Failin' should have aborted her Downs Syndrome baby. I think Sarah Failin's mother should have swallowed.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. That's What I Thought Too

I like your screenname by the way. I laughed out loud when i read it.

I think it's mostly Repubs embarrassed to say so, or someone like a college educator who knew he would take big heat from the administration if he was a professed radical rightist.

So, basically he's lying.
GAC

[csziggy]

13. What subject is he supposed to be teaching?

If it is not current political theory or mass communication, he is off topic.

I wonder how he would react if your daughter simply raised her hand every time he goes off on a topic non-pertinent to the class subject and asked him to get back to what he is being paid to teach?

And if he is ranting off subject, that is a legitimate, non-partisan reason to have him removed from the classroom.

[cilla4progress]

15. I love all your comments! Thanks!

It's economics. Took about 2 weeks of classes before he actually stopped ranting and started "teaching." Now she's worried he hasn't covered enough material for the mid-term exams!

It's one thing for the guy to have his own opinions, but it sounds like he's really forcing them on the students...very closed minded. He'll give lip service to the progressive / dem side of things, but always uses a snarky tone and "air" quotation marks.

[csziggy]

17. Economics would be a gray area for this kind of stuff

I'd probably just keep my head down and wait until the course was over before I did anything. Though if I were in a class today with an idiot like that, it would be very hard to do it - but I am old and cranky and wouldn't be taking a class for credit anymore.

If your daughter cares about the subject, she could do her own research and refute his crap. But unless she is really interested, it would probably not be worth her time.

I only had two instructors that I ever wanted to challenge on facts or attitude. Both times, once as a high school student, once in college, I just kept quiet. I never got a chance to do anything about the school teacher, but we got to do evaluations on the college instructor and I let loose in mine. I guess they let him go because a year later when my sister had finished her master's she was offered that position.

[cilla4progress]

20. Ooh.. revenge is sweet!

I hope they will ask for evaluations. As I said, unbelievably, all the online reviews of this instructor were sky-high! Reflects the politics of this area, I guess.

For an antidote, my daughter and I are driving over to Seattle at 6 am tomorrow to hit the OBAMA / PATTY MURRAY RALLY at the University of Washington (where she hopes to be accepted, next year...goddess willing!). Totally PSYCHED for it!

Thanks!