2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial
Classes should have an unbiased atmosphere
Issue date: 5/3/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
College is a place where students go to gain knowledge. Of course, learning is only a fraction of the college experience.
When parents send their children away to college, many of them are financially supporting the institution their student attends by paying tuition and fees and buying books.
Others work to pay the taxes that fund the schools. The parents should assume their money is going to teach their children unbiased material in an open forum.
But often in America's schools, instructors push their political views on students during class or through required textbooks.
One of AC's U.S. government textbooks was accused of presenting a political bias in a recent Amarillo Globe-News column. Coincidentally, two AC professors helped co-author the book. Dr. Brian Farmer, one of the authors, denies that the book is biased.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including teachers. But the classroom should not be a place for the instructor to endorse his or her own political or religious stance.
Debates should be kept between students in the class with the teacher leading the conversation but not pushing his or her own views.
Furthermore, a teacher should not insult political views or offices with whom the teacher has disagreements. The same is true about religion.
There are all kinds of different viewpoints, and students may feel uncomfortable in a classroom setting where the teacher is mocking their own personal beliefs and opinions.
Most students likely will not stand up for themselves if they do not agree but will keep quiet, because it can be an intimidating situation. A student who disagrees may feel singled out or fear his or her grade could be affected as a result.
Of course, there are a wide variety of professors to choose from, but most students are randomly placed in an instructor's class. It's hard to know what that instructor's views are, and it shouldn't even be something a student should have to worry about.
And then there is the textbook issue. Those involved in selecting textbooks should thoroughly research the material before presenting it to a class. Just because a textbook gets published doesn't necessarily make it a good one.
College textbooks should be balanced and unbiased to keep the quality of education in America high. In history or government classes where politics is involved, facts should be presented and students should be left to draw their own conclusions.
When parents send their children away to college, many of them are financially supporting the institution their student attends by paying tuition and fees and buying books.
Others work to pay the taxes that fund the schools. The parents should assume their money is going to teach their children unbiased material in an open forum.
But often in America's schools, instructors push their political views on students during class or through required textbooks.
One of AC's U.S. government textbooks was accused of presenting a political bias in a recent Amarillo Globe-News column. Coincidentally, two AC professors helped co-author the book. Dr. Brian Farmer, one of the authors, denies that the book is biased.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including teachers. But the classroom should not be a place for the instructor to endorse his or her own political or religious stance.
Debates should be kept between students in the class with the teacher leading the conversation but not pushing his or her own views.
Furthermore, a teacher should not insult political views or offices with whom the teacher has disagreements. The same is true about religion.
There are all kinds of different viewpoints, and students may feel uncomfortable in a classroom setting where the teacher is mocking their own personal beliefs and opinions.
Most students likely will not stand up for themselves if they do not agree but will keep quiet, because it can be an intimidating situation. A student who disagrees may feel singled out or fear his or her grade could be affected as a result.
Of course, there are a wide variety of professors to choose from, but most students are randomly placed in an instructor's class. It's hard to know what that instructor's views are, and it shouldn't even be something a student should have to worry about.
And then there is the textbook issue. Those involved in selecting textbooks should thoroughly research the material before presenting it to a class. Just because a textbook gets published doesn't necessarily make it a good one.
College textbooks should be balanced and unbiased to keep the quality of education in America high. In history or government classes where politics is involved, facts should be presented and students should be left to draw their own conclusions.
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