2008 Woodie Awards
'Academic Bill of Rights' would stifle students, professors
Emily Iorg
Issue date: 2/13/06 Section: Forum
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The so-called "Academic Bill of Rights" is all wrong. The bill purports to offer an unbiased college education, but the bill's biggest proponent has his own biases.
David Horowitz, leader of the "academic freedom" movement, spoke at UMKC last October. His speech was more hateful than I could have imagined.
The Sunflower Women's Club of Johnson County co-sponsored the event. Club President
Nancy Hanahan introduced Horowitz as a civil rights activist, opponent of censorship and finally the "left's worst enemy."
Horowitz formerly edited the largest magazine of the New Left, Ramparts. He now speaks out against the left and is president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture.
This introduction confirmed Horowitz would promote a specific Conservative agenda despite claiming to work for the benefit of all students and teachers.
Horowitz said academic reform is necessary in higher education because students only get one side of the story from professors. He cited a high ratio of registered Democrats on college faculties and provided examples.
"Berkeley doesn't have a single Republican law professor," Horowitz said.
He claimed this alleged scarcity of Conservative professors was not random and is "actually the product of a blacklist, or more appropriately…a graylist."
"What unifies the left is hatred of America, hatred of white males, hatred of Christians," Horowitz said. "I want conservatives who are second-class students of this institution to be considered first-class citizens."
Proponents of the bill contend a political unbalance in higher education translates into unfair hiring and tenure practices, less diversity of ideas and discrimination against Conservatives, and politically motivated grading and discussion.
Horowitz labels the academic bill of rights an "attempt to restore educational integrity."
He helped found 150 "Students for Academic Freedom" organizations on campuses nationwide (University of Missouri-Columbia is one) and introduce legislation in 17 states, including Missouri.
David Horowitz, leader of the "academic freedom" movement, spoke at UMKC last October. His speech was more hateful than I could have imagined.
The Sunflower Women's Club of Johnson County co-sponsored the event. Club President
Nancy Hanahan introduced Horowitz as a civil rights activist, opponent of censorship and finally the "left's worst enemy."
Horowitz formerly edited the largest magazine of the New Left, Ramparts. He now speaks out against the left and is president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture.
This introduction confirmed Horowitz would promote a specific Conservative agenda despite claiming to work for the benefit of all students and teachers.
Horowitz said academic reform is necessary in higher education because students only get one side of the story from professors. He cited a high ratio of registered Democrats on college faculties and provided examples.
"Berkeley doesn't have a single Republican law professor," Horowitz said.
He claimed this alleged scarcity of Conservative professors was not random and is "actually the product of a blacklist, or more appropriately…a graylist."
"What unifies the left is hatred of America, hatred of white males, hatred of Christians," Horowitz said. "I want conservatives who are second-class students of this institution to be considered first-class citizens."
Proponents of the bill contend a political unbalance in higher education translates into unfair hiring and tenure practices, less diversity of ideas and discrimination against Conservatives, and politically motivated grading and discussion.
Horowitz labels the academic bill of rights an "attempt to restore educational integrity."
He helped found 150 "Students for Academic Freedom" organizations on campuses nationwide (University of Missouri-Columbia is one) and introduce legislation in 17 states, including Missouri.
