This is a key point that most people don’t seem to understand: “Yes, public university professors, such as those at New College, have a First Amendment right to promote gender pseudoscience—but they are not entitled to an unlimited state subsidy for that speech.”
To me, the subject should be addressed through a medical and psychological science view including the study of genetics. Young people that have medically proven differences such as Aphallia, Clitoromegaly, Chordee, Ovotestis (Hermaphrodism}, Hirsutism, Masculine Women with a higher baseline level of male hormones like testosterone are all very real science issues.
Reasons why a person is born with certain tendencies or acquires certain tendencies are issues that could be taught in a psychology course to students.
Whenever a student has a tell-tale sign of non-conforming appearance or voice they are often ridiculed and your child or mine could face poor mental health issues for all of their life based on other people's opinions.
6% of the USA is gay. In a group of 50 people that is three people. (As long as we aren't talking about San Francisco or Portland, Oregon where it is much higher.)
I am not "for" teaching all students that you can walk in a classroom straight and after 45-minutes of teacher grooming and exposure to nonsense they could reach the hallway and change course.
I can't argue with your choice, but I always choke up when I recall Odysseus' dog whom the gods permitted to live - if he willed to, and he did - until his master's return. If I recall correctly, it was only the dog who recognized Odysseus...until the archery competition!
On that note, the fate of the suitors seems to me just. Like so many we see, they were pretenders who squandered the estate of another in their absurd vanity.
There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their work when their master's hand is no longer over them, for Zeus takes half the goodness out of a man when he makes a slave of him.'
So saying he entered the well-built mansion and made straight for the riotous pretenders in the hall. But Argos passed into the darkness of death, now that he had fulfilled his destiny of faith and seen his master once more after twenty years.
A friend commented to me with some exasperation that, “Odysseus didn’t have a spiritual transformation during his journey! He was an AH when he left and he was still an AH when he got back!”
Great to hear that the incoming freshman class is so robust. As a lifelong resident of Florida and a University of Florida graduate I clearly remember the reputation of New College from its inception being that of an easy curriculum which attracted the laziest students very few of which became well schooled productive citizens. Kudos to you and all your hard work!
I graduated from New College in 1994 with a degree in English lit and philosophy. The humanities faculty at that time was for the most part blessedly apolitical in their teaching. There was some leftist foolishness among the students at times, of course, but my experience was overwhelmingly positive. It was in grad school that I first saw up close the political corruption of Academia.
Interesting. It was definitely during my time there that I first heard of Critical Theory, Derrida and deconstruction. It was just a faddish side-gig then though, and I was only exposed to it second hand. Womyn’s Studies was becoming a thing at that time, for sure. Then again, I was holed up in Nat Sci trying to survive organic chemistry and vertebrate anatomy classes.
Really? When I was there (1990-95) the curriculum was quite challenging. Yes, there was a healthy cohort of lazy stoners, but they didn’t tend to last long. They were mainly in the humanities though. Maybe us Natural Science nerds were different. 😉
Good ! The DIE program needs to DIE ( change in the letter sequence deliberate) ! It’s nothing but propaganda .
The “ Gender Studies “ is also just a bunch of anti - science hogwash , and not worthy of a college course! Other colleges should follow your example . This is coming from a former liberal! Many of us have had it with the authoritarian gender cult!
What a commendable job you have done. Congratulations! You are a bright light in a dark storm of our Nation. For my birthday, it was your new book I requested
On our library shelf. A toast to today’s encouragement and a crucial hope for our next generation.
You don't need to appeal to Gender Studies being a politicized field, tho it is. The Trustees have the right and the obligation to direct the strategy of the university. That includes choice of the fields it will teach. The Trustees can and should eliminate the biology department, if they think that is an inappropriate field for the college. Or, they might add a Central Eurasian Studies. That is not a matter of academic freedom at all. The Trustees decide policy; the faculty implement it. If the Trustees tell history professors to teach American history a certain way, that might implicate academic freedom, but not if the Trustees just tell the history department to teach American history instead of women's history or Chinese history.
This is a key point that most people don’t seem to understand: “Yes, public university professors, such as those at New College, have a First Amendment right to promote gender pseudoscience—but they are not entitled to an unlimited state subsidy for that speech.”
Crucial point.
To me, the subject should be addressed through a medical and psychological science view including the study of genetics. Young people that have medically proven differences such as Aphallia, Clitoromegaly, Chordee, Ovotestis (Hermaphrodism}, Hirsutism, Masculine Women with a higher baseline level of male hormones like testosterone are all very real science issues.
Also the National Library of Medicine study using MRI scans found physical differenced in the brains of gay males. LINK https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6168246/
Reasons why a person is born with certain tendencies or acquires certain tendencies are issues that could be taught in a psychology course to students.
Whenever a student has a tell-tale sign of non-conforming appearance or voice they are often ridiculed and your child or mine could face poor mental health issues for all of their life based on other people's opinions.
6% of the USA is gay. In a group of 50 people that is three people. (As long as we aren't talking about San Francisco or Portland, Oregon where it is much higher.)
I am not "for" teaching all students that you can walk in a classroom straight and after 45-minutes of teacher grooming and exposure to nonsense they could reach the hallway and change course.
Let's teach science and genetics and psychology.
Great progress! Congratulations on having the courage to make decisive reforms. Very encouraging
This is definitely the good news story of the day!!Congratulations!
Damm. This was good to read. Kudos.
It's really good to hear that many students and educators are eager to join the New College on the next leg of its journey. I am not surprised!
I would have selected the Iliad instead of the Odyssey, but either way, Homer rocks!
It will get students interested and wanting to read more!
I can't argue with your choice, but I always choke up when I recall Odysseus' dog whom the gods permitted to live - if he willed to, and he did - until his master's return. If I recall correctly, it was only the dog who recognized Odysseus...until the archery competition!
On that note, the fate of the suitors seems to me just. Like so many we see, they were pretenders who squandered the estate of another in their absurd vanity.
My realistic reading of Homer's Odyssey places Penelope's recognition of Odysseus much earlier. I hope you enjoy reading "Penelope and Odysseus."
https://ernestdlieberman.substack.com/s/penelope-and-odysseus
Thank you - it has been awhile, and this tells me that it is time to live with that great book, again!
There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their work when their master's hand is no longer over them, for Zeus takes half the goodness out of a man when he makes a slave of him.'
So saying he entered the well-built mansion and made straight for the riotous pretenders in the hall. But Argos passed into the darkness of death, now that he had fulfilled his destiny of faith and seen his master once more after twenty years.
Never fails to choke me up.
And me, with you!
A friend commented to me with some exasperation that, “Odysseus didn’t have a spiritual transformation during his journey! He was an AH when he left and he was still an AH when he got back!”
My beef was with
Agamemnon, for murdering Iphigenia.
Odysseus was a frightful man - as the suitors discovered.
Keep up the good work.
Truth will prevail, though it might be a long, hard struggle to get there.
Great work! Makes me happy to subscribe.
Great to hear that the incoming freshman class is so robust. As a lifelong resident of Florida and a University of Florida graduate I clearly remember the reputation of New College from its inception being that of an easy curriculum which attracted the laziest students very few of which became well schooled productive citizens. Kudos to you and all your hard work!
We are changing that quickly!
I graduated from New College in 1994 with a degree in English lit and philosophy. The humanities faculty at that time was for the most part blessedly apolitical in their teaching. There was some leftist foolishness among the students at times, of course, but my experience was overwhelmingly positive. It was in grad school that I first saw up close the political corruption of Academia.
Interesting. It was definitely during my time there that I first heard of Critical Theory, Derrida and deconstruction. It was just a faddish side-gig then though, and I was only exposed to it second hand. Womyn’s Studies was becoming a thing at that time, for sure. Then again, I was holed up in Nat Sci trying to survive organic chemistry and vertebrate anatomy classes.
Really? When I was there (1990-95) the curriculum was quite challenging. Yes, there was a healthy cohort of lazy stoners, but they didn’t tend to last long. They were mainly in the humanities though. Maybe us Natural Science nerds were different. 😉
Good ! The DIE program needs to DIE ( change in the letter sequence deliberate) ! It’s nothing but propaganda .
The “ Gender Studies “ is also just a bunch of anti - science hogwash , and not worthy of a college course! Other colleges should follow your example . This is coming from a former liberal! Many of us have had it with the authoritarian gender cult!
Right on!
FANTASTIC! KUDOS!! Well done!
What amazing things can be done with some brains and backbone! So proud of you guys.
I wish I could like this column 100 times. Are there any openings for faculty...? :)
Bravo!!!
Christopher,
What a commendable job you have done. Congratulations! You are a bright light in a dark storm of our Nation. For my birthday, it was your new book I requested
On our library shelf. A toast to today’s encouragement and a crucial hope for our next generation.
Thank you!
You don't need to appeal to Gender Studies being a politicized field, tho it is. The Trustees have the right and the obligation to direct the strategy of the university. That includes choice of the fields it will teach. The Trustees can and should eliminate the biology department, if they think that is an inappropriate field for the college. Or, they might add a Central Eurasian Studies. That is not a matter of academic freedom at all. The Trustees decide policy; the faculty implement it. If the Trustees tell history professors to teach American history a certain way, that might implicate academic freedom, but not if the Trustees just tell the history department to teach American history instead of women's history or Chinese history.
Well said.
Finally someone who knows how to go on offense for a change!
Fabulous! Keep up the good work.