Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Yes, Please Offend Me (But Thanks for Checking)
Inside Higher Ed: "In an era in which seemingly anything can offend anyone, one professor at the University of Idaho is attempting to stay one step ahead by asking film students to sign a “statement of understanding” acknowledging the potentially offensive or repugnant content they’ll be viewing."
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3 comments:
I think that letting the students know what they are getting into is a wise idea. This generation is funny about these things and he is just covering all his bases. But on the other hand it is a part of college to experince the uncomfortable and the extreme. In undergrad we had to take a "great works" class were we had to read "The Bluest Eye", and I was shocked and amazed at what this little innocent 18 year old girl was reading and talking about in class. But it was apart of growing up. Maybe this guy should post the films that he will be viewing in class before the class starts. This way when ppl bitch about the class, he can pull the "you should have looked up the movies before the class started"
Although I understand his need to have the students understand what they are getting into in his course, I do not agree with the signing of a statement of understanding. As Julie has already said a clear posting of the videos in the syllabus should suffice. I worry with a signed document it gives him the ability to show anything he may want without any debate over whether it is applicable.
~Boyce
Students should know that a course will be handling controversial subject matter before it's too late for them to choose something they would feel more comfortable learing. The waiver is a way of covering the teacher's ass as well if a student complains later in the course about being to offended to succeed in the course. A lot of educational facilities have handed the concern of controversial subject matter by removing it entirely which I think is a shame because some of the most educational experiences out there are the most controversial ones. -Maddie Regan
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