A professor in Indiana has been removed from her class after a student complained.
A lecturer in the Indiana University School of Social Work has been removed from teaching one of her classes — “Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice” — while the university investigates a complaint by a student against material she presented.
Whoa. The class was titled “Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice”? That’s just asking for it. MAGA hates all three of those things. They want uniformity, not diversity. Human rights are a thing to be trampled. Social injustice is what they favor.
Jessica Adams joined the school as a lecturer last year. She spoke at a press conference with campus activist groups Friday against what she sees as an unfair process and accusation.
“I as an instructor should have the ability to bring those ideas into my class,” Adams said.
She said a student submitted the complaint to the office of U.S. Senator Jim Banks over a graphic she used in her class. Adams said Banks’ office then contacted her dean.
I’m trying to see this event from the perspective of the student. They signed up for a course titled “Diversity, Human Rights, and Social Justice” — they had to know what they were in for. Did they think it was going to be a course bashing all those things? No. They were looking for something to complain about.
And they complained to their senator? Jesus. And then the senator tried to dictate what should be taught? Absolutely nuts.
Here’s the graphic that annoyed the student and senator.
What’s the objection? What would offend a MAGA? Be specific. Explain why you would disagree that one of those phrases is fundamentally racist, or supporting white supremacy. That’s the kind of question I would ask of the class, if I were teaching a sociology course (I’m not, fortunately, since I don’t have the expertise).
I am preparing a unit on the misuse of genetics by racists for my spring genetics course. I hope my students don’t report me to Amy Klobuchar or Tina Smith.
That chart unmasks how white supremacy works.
I’m not MAGA, so I’m not the best person to answer those questions. But, after studying that graphic, I’d say that everything below the red line is essentially the MAGA platform in detail. Equating it with White supremacy is probably what gets their asses in a twist.
I’m sure the complainant took that class specifically to find exactly that kind of chart and launch a complaint. They’ll probably get their 15 minutes of fame on the right wing grievance circuit until their story gets boring or someone with a similar story, but who is more visually appealing, shows up.
It kind of looks like a KKK robe. You’d think they’d like that.
At the very least they would disagree that “Make America Great Again” is racist.
I can’t say it’s entirely wrong, but this is not something I would present as “truth” in a college level course. It would be a very good start for discussion, though.
I’m surprised that the course was even offered!
Indiana University has been completely taken over by MAGAts.. The legislature (supermajority Republican, nicht wahr) gave the governor total power over the board of trustees, which Braun used to eliminate any dissent. The student newspaper no longer has funds to print issues; everything is online, which means it’s easy to delete. Oh, and the faculty advisor for the paper has been terminated.
fusilier
James 2:24
PZ hasn’t thought this through to the end.
The Karen/Charlie Kirk class student wouldn’t report him to Minnesota senators Amy Klobuchar or Tina Smith. Both Minnesota senators are…Democrats.
You will be reported to Ted Cruz R-Texas, Tom Cotton R-Arkansas, Josh Hawley R-Missouri, or any one of the other 51 Republican senators.
To be sure you will also be reported to Department of Homeland Security, ICE, the Border Patrol, the IRS, the US DOJ, CIA, NSA, and Fox News.
Don’t worry though.
At our last No Kings demonstration, I got some “What to do when ICE kidnaps you” cards and a whistle for summoning help that I always carry with me.
You can have them.
The 20th century was cruel. Facism, Nazis, mass murders of Jews, Poles, Russians and others. Mass murders in China from Japanese military. Stalin’s terror, mass murder and gulags. Radical Islam. Pol Pot. Idi Amin. Wars in the Balkins. South America dirty wars. And more. What this world needs to learn is that if one does not head these things off early, they can become massive disasters. Today’s movements of a vindictive president abusing his office to send military units into cities based on lies, and out of control ICE should be a wake up call before all of this spirals out of control. And America slips into mass atrocities.
That some MAGAt can waddle her fat ass into a University class room and halt that class based on MAGA outrage on facts being presented there cannot be loowed.
This is a lot of things but we’ve seen this movie before many times.
It never ends well.
It could be:
.1. Cancel culture.
2. Political Correctness.
3. A witch hunt.
It is all of those.
Today it would be,
Their issue is just acknowledging the existence of white supremacy.
If it is wrong to question the Euro-centric curriculum, I am in trouble for saying the tariffs will speed up the resurgence of Asia as domintating the world economy.
If I mention that the Swedish Xenophobe party are a bunch of poorly educated schmucks, will that be a problem?
The pyramid shape is probably triggering for many MAGAts.
The entirety of the “covert white supremacy” is objectionable because it’s all foundational to conservative ethos. It essentially says to them that red-blooded, hardworking, American patriots are really virulent bigots.
Which they are.
“I as an instructor should have the ability to bring those ideas into my class,” Adams said.
Adams might be falling prey to a common misconception about academia. Unfortunately, academic freedom does not extend to everyone, and only tenure protects faculty from dismissal over their teaching and scholarship. I hope she appeals this, but I would not be optimistic about the outcome.
Coming to a blue state near you:
If your history or social studies cirriculum is even just a little bit critical of the state of Israel, Newsom and co. have deployed California AB 715 (effective 1 Jan 2026) that will remove you and any of your teaching material that does not portray Israel in a consistently positive light.
They have legitimized the same tactics of going after teachers with anonymous complaints. I have no doubt this will be duplicated in other blue states, even if it is immediately and fiercely opposed in January.
I just looked, beholder, and as usual, a total distortion and misrepresentation and fear-mongering.
Also, since it’s only one state at the westernmost edge of the USA, almost all states are not near it.
And you’re equivocating between that state and those ‘near’ — the state is doing it, but ‘you’ will be the target.
And, of course, it says nothing about removing teachers or materials who , your central claim. It specifically addresses anti-semitism.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB715
↓
[Section 1, subdivision (d)(2)]
Discrimination, harassment, and bullying of Jewish pupils has included antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories; discriminatory slurs, symbols, and expressions; physical and verbal assaults; discrimination by proxy and through the use of coded language; collective blame and generalizations about Jewish people; vilification of Jews and Israelis; and distortions of Jewish religion, ancestry, history, and identity. This discrimination, harassment, and bullying, including the use of inappropriate instructional materials and instruction, has deeply impacted Jewish pupils across California and the nation resulting in the vilification and ostracization of Jewish pupils.
There’s one thing that needs to be added to the chart in the green section– “We never came from monkeys!” “Monkeys” as in “Black or brown man.”
@John Morales
An ex friend of mine, recently thrown out of the Greens, has gone full anti trans. He declared, in facebook, that Tasmanian Libraries have decided to ban women from attending. When I investigated the incident, he refers to the one library that had denied a TERF organisation from using the library to hold a TERF event.
This is a recurring tactic, one that Beholder uses a lot.
Looking at the California detail, I wonder if the language should incorporate an explanation of what is definitely not antisemitism, such as criticising the government of Israel. That would derail the Beholders of the world to some extent.
davetaylor@15–
You do not appear to understand the principles of academic freedom or how they relate to tenure.
DanDare, here in Oz we propose legislation, and once it’s passed the apparatus develops the regulations applicable; that is, the law lays down the provisions, the regulations how that is implemented, including applicable definitions of what constitutes antisemitism. Normally, this is a public process including consultation.
I think it’s similar in the USA.
Of course, this may be out of date under the Trump administration, but this is the current web page:
https://www.state.gov/defining-antisemitism/
↓
The Department of State has used a working definition, along with examples, of antisemitism since 2010. On May 26, 2016, the 31 member states of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), of which the United States is a member, adopted a non-legally binding “working definition” of antisemitism at its plenary in Bucharest. This definition is consistent with and builds upon the information contained in the 2010 State Department definition. As a member of IHRA, the United States now uses this working definition and has encouraged other governments and international organizations to use it as well.
@16. the bad faith, Trump supporting troll :
Meanwhile in red states – and Trump’s USoA generally – pro-Palestinian protesters get literally deported and arrested and disappeared. Already forgotten Mahmoud Khalil among many others have you? (Or are you ignoring that reality as usual with your typical malicious bad faith?)
Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Khalil_(activist)#Attempted_deportation_and_litigation
Plus Trump’s fascist crushing of dissent in general and especially on Palestine :
Source : https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trump-palestine-campus-repression-analysis/
WARNING : Limited number of free articles from that source.
Oh and its the Repugs who are doing things like passing laws against calling the West Bank, well, the West Bank insisting on the Israeli name for it instead :
Source : https://freebeacon.com/israel/congressional-republicans-finalize-bill-recognizing-west-bank-as-judea-and-samaria/
That’s what you “beholder” voted for and argued for in reality despite being warned that these would be among the many horrendous and lethal indeed genocidal consequences.
So how has your arguing and focusing ONLY on the Democratic parties deeds here – ignoring the vastly worse ONLY alternative which you have never faced or criticised – worked out for the Palestinians and Palestinian and Arab Americans that you claimed to care about?
Good job eh – to you and the whole Uncommitted / Abandon Biden – Harris movement! (Does that really need a sarc tag?)
We did try to warn you. Not that you ever actually really cared yourself, did you lying troll Its ok you don’t have to answer – we already know.
Raven @9 suggested:
Probably something like that, but I need to correct a factual error. Today it would be:
Well, maybe not. That would have required reading the label on the ketchup bottle, and today’s wingnuts don’t want to do that because it doesn’t lead to good factory jobs.