Political discrimination in the curriculum: A case study

• Published in: Academic questions Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 24 - 31
• Main Author: Dent, George W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Brunswick, NJ Transaction Periodicals Consortium 01.06.1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic freedom; Affirmative Action; Afrocentrism; Classrooms; College Curriculum; College Instruction; Course Descriptions; Cultural Pluralism; Departments; Feminism; Political Attitudes; Political correctness; Politics; Sociology; Student Evaluation; Students; Teaching; Teaching Load; Teaching Methods; Womens Studies; United States > US; Ohio
• ISSN: 0895-4852; 1936-4709
• DOI: 10.1007/s12129-999-1055-x

[...]he devised a course to be titled "Political Correctness" to explore issues that were clearly slighted in the curriculum. [...]Dr. Lee admits that others have violated academic norms, but that BGSU has never rejected or terminated or required any alteration of their courses; but Professor Zeller, who has never even been accused (much less convicted) of such a violation, had his proposal denied. Bowling Green is a state university and thus subject to the First Amendment prohibition on government action "abridging the freedom of speech." [...]several courts have struck down "harassment" codes that impinged on free speech and have held state universities liable for damages and injunctions when they punished instructors for making statements protected by the First Amendment. Cases like Levin and decisions invalidating harassment codes show that litigation can be a useful weapon against political correctness and political discrimination. [...]some organizations (like the Center for Individual Rights) take promising cases without charging the usual lawyer's fees, thereby permitting an academic victim to pursue legal relief that would otherwise be financially out of reach.