Outside of our families there is arguably no greater source of our political socialization than schools. And the reality of schools in America is mixed. Many have focused on the falling ranking of American K-12 education with respect to the rest of the world. We will discuss some of this in class. For now, however, I would like you to focus on higher education. There is no doubt that we have a huge number of high paying jobs in America that do not have enough sufficiently trained applicants to fill available jobs. You should explore recent debates about controversies on college campuses including whether they are too politically correct or not and how views about the benefits of going to college have changed a lot and some reasons why. You can start the discussion by answering any of the prompts below:
- What are the most important challenges pertaining to higher education in America today?
- How do you think the experience of higher education affects our perceptions of politics or political culture?
- How has being in college affected your view of American society or American politics?
- Do you think colleges are too politically correct?
Be sure to comment on your classmates posts and start an online discussion, instead of simply answering the question prompts.
One important issue pertaining to higher education is how college is perceived as a nessesity but priced as a luxury. They say with a college degree you have a chance to move up in the social and ecumenic scale, but if you don't have the monetary means to afford it you are automatically put at a disadvantage. Another challenge is how professors in college are experts in there field rather than actual teachers. Some professor can't teach and it makes it harder for students to learn when they have to teach themselves. Higher education affects our perception of politics/political culture because the more educated you are, the more you are willing to participate in politics and how politics effect your every had life. Being in college affected my views on American society/politics by now knowing that everything isn;t just black and white. There are a lot of thing that effect our society and the people in it. From race, to gender to sexuality to religion can all effect how we see each other and how we trust our government. I think college need to politically correct because in this day and age, everything you do and say will be critically evaluated and people with hold you accountable for it. But yes I feel colleges are too politically correct. -Egerton Abulu
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you on the fact that college is seen as something vital if you want "a good life" but with the actual cost of attendance, it puts many people at a disadvantage because only a few compared to everyone, can actually afford it. I also think that another issue that colleges have is the reputation and the "popularity" that the University has. So many people put a value on certain universities that even if you go to a university, you are being constantly judged on your school's reputation rather than your actual capacities and knowledge. I also have to agree with you when you say that colleges need to be politically correct because at this day and age, people's reputations and careers are over in a blink of an eye for not being able to get a point across effectively, and for not being politically correct and offending a lot of people. Although, i also think that there's too much political correctness and that we sometimes sacrifice opinion and ultimately voice, in order to be politically correct; because in the end, we all have a freedom of speech even if that speech doesn't necessarily correlate to one's personal opinions.
Delete-Veronica Y. Velazco
I’m in my fourth year here at DePaul and others who have been here this long may remember the Milo Yiannopoulos kerfuffle from a few years ago. Recap: he came to speak, there were a ton of protests that included DePaul students and non-DePaul students, someone tried to punch him, there was kind of a riot? I think someone was stabbed? It’s all a blur.) This was the first of many speaker events that provoked a lot of discussion about freedom of speech/political correctness on campus. Today, DePaul’s speaker review process is much more difficult and takes a lot longer than it did before Milo. Many of his followers trashed DePaul online, labeling it as the worst college for free speech. His followers are generally very anti-political correctness and I disagree with those opinions. In my experience, if someone is complaining about something being too politically correct, they are 9/10 times a white man, that is, someone who does not necessarily belong to a historically oppressed group of people. This goes along with our readings for today’s class (Tuesday)—it’s not someone’s place to say “racism is over” or something similar if they are not in the oppressed group. We only know what we personally experience, and I think a lot of the time people that complain about political correctness do not understand its importance because perhaps that haven’t experienced something that warranted political correctness.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard the argument on too much "political correctness" I also was slightly confused. What's so wrong about being "politically correct" especially in higher education? Yiannopoulos, although I was not personally here when it happen I did hear about it a lot, was a very interesting event. I feel like if a conservative were to come here to speak, I feel like groups can find more respectable conservatives than someone who purposely tries to make people mad. I'm think that might even be less political correctness and more about thinking about your environment probably.
DeleteExactly! That what my argument was at the time--clearly he was brought here for publicity or to incite something. I'd be totally fine with any speaker that can voice their opinions without inciting violence or hate.
DeleteI also believe that provocateurs and commentators who pander to people's emotions are not the types of people that belong on college campuses. College events shouldn't be shouting matches, they should be educational learning experiences
DeleteOne of the important challenges pertaining to higher education would be the rising cost of education and the diminishing field of opportunities after receiving a college degree. In the end, many graduates suffer from loan debt and unemployment. As higher education rises in price, the harder it becomes to pay for college which is leading to students not completing their degrees. Colleges also need to do a better job at helping their students get great jobs in the end. Meaning providing the skills and services for graduates that employers are looking for. I think the experience of higher education affects our perceptions of politics because it gives you the knowledge to become politically active and how politics affect your life. My college experience in American politics/American society has become very beneficial because it opened my eyes to issues I was never aware of prior to higher education. I do think colleges are too politically correct. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and with colleges being so diverse we shouldn’t feel uncomfortable in sharing these opinions. But, since colleges are so politically correct in my opinion, it silences a lot of opposing opinions.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. The rising cost of education in the U.S. each year is detrimental to the amount of students that it becomes accessible for. I've talked to multiple older people in recent years who went to colleges similar and close to DePaul, such as University of Illinois. When the conversation came close to how much it actually costs nowadays to get a higher education, most were utterly shocked. For someone who literally only paid $3,000 per year for college, hearing how nowadays it can cost up to an astonishing $80,000 per year is shocking. I also agree with you about how my perception of politics has changed since starting college. I feel like before DePaul, I was only really versed in what I was taught was right and wrong by my family. Although I did take political courses before DePaul, I'd argue that most of my high school instructors remained fairly neutral and stayed away from controversial topics for class assignments and class discussions. Starting at DePaul has opened my eyes to many new political thoughts and opinions.
DeleteCollege and post-grad are becoming staples of an economy that doesn't promise good jobs to people who play by the rules. Instead, we worship technology and finance, but we have less people able to afford to go into humanities or liberal studies--not to mention, there is a media campaign against liberal studies because it challenges the status quo and makes people question things. These are fundamental issues in our modern economy.
ReplyDeleteOn the question of free speech, I don't think a real problem exists in a systematic way--rather small incidents end up being broadcasted all over right wing blogs. They are also from well funded groups with the intention of upsetting people or spreading racist beliefs, and for students of color who have historically not had a voice in academia, who now speak up and out against many racist speakers--are broadcasted as a threat to our exchange of ideas.
In my opinion, the groups that are dead set on bringing speakers simply to provoke people, like Milo, who has been since banned on Twitter and other platforms, are preventing the good faith exchange of ideas. I see these fights on campus about speech as basically a fight for power and whose voice matters, which is why there is so much energy and money put into trying to challenge universities by bringing ridiculous, provocative, and racist speakers like Milo and others. I'm not saying all "conservative" speakers shouldn't be able to speak, but it says a lot about one's intention to have a policy conversation that it was Milo and others that were always the speakers clubs would turn to. The same night college gop had Milo come a few years ago, we(DePaul Dems) had an event around criminalizing mental health and criminal justice reform. The difference in substance speaks for itself.
Rising college tuition is a major speed bump for those who seek to further their education, during one of the 2018 Illinois Gubernatorial debates this issue came up for schools in Illinois and the moderator( I forget who it was) asked about how we can overcome Illinois residents from deserting this state and seeking an education in other states with lower tuition costs. I don't have an answer to this, but it is a major issue that must be addressed in respect to higher education. I do believe that some colleges are too politically correct. Then again it all depends on the geographic location of the school. Clearly we are not going to have a conservative leaning school in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago Illinois. In my personal experience since I have been in college, I have only been able to develop one critique: I firmly believe that every professor in the business of higher education has an obligation to their students to have an unbiased opinion in their lectures. I also believe that anyone who seeks a Political Science major should demand this from their professors as well. So far in 2 classes with Professor Epstein and every other professor I have had during my time at DePaul, these expectations have been met.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that tuition costs are a MAJOR speed bump in continuing education. To think about how much money is spent on tuition each year, on loans, interest rates, etc for Depaul students alone is completely humbling
DeleteI would say being in college, Depaul in particular has changed my view on America and our national identity/values in somewhat of a disheartening way. Before I began this year at Depaul I would say I kind of assumed more people had a sense of pride in our country. I never viewed our country as perfect, but I absolutely respected and loved the country I belong to. Since starting college, I see the majority of individuals in my age group looking at our country with utter disgust and resentment. I find this very sad, however I can see why some people are drawn to that. Having a brother that served in the Marine Corps for 5 years, we have had many discussions about just how lucky we are to live in the country that we do. I think that has a lot to do with why I grew up viewing our country in a more positive light than many individuals choose to these days.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important challenge pertaining to higher education in America is cost. Getting a college degree is almost a necessity, unless a person wants to go into trades. Even jobs that should not have college degree requirement typically ask for an associate’s degree. Because of this high demand for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, many Americans find themselves in major debt in order to achieve their degrees. There is financial aid and scholarships, but people living in low socioeconomic areas are not often informed of how much aid they can receive or what scholarships they are eligible for. It makes people living in these areas often not want to apply to universities because it seems unachievable due to the cost. Being able to experience going to a four-year university affects our perception of politics because the issues that are being discussed do not seem so distant anymore. The federal government directly affects the interest rate of student loans. Issues being discussed with healthcare, immigration, reproductive rights either affect you or affect someone you have met while attending university. It can be an eye-opening experience to those who were not exposed to the shortcomings of the American political system. -Hannah Rhodes
ReplyDeleteThe most important challenges pertaining to higher education, in my opinion, is the polarization. This affects many aspects of learning, particularly class room discussion and speakers on campus. I wish my education was more balanced than it actually is. In no way do I mean to insult the professors at DePaul or other schools, but I wish the conservative perspective was discussed more. Sometimes I feel we reiterate the liberal narrative and that can become redundant and, frankly, boring. Because I perceive higher education as more liberally slanted, I think it affects the political perception and culture on campuses. My view of American politics is definitely broader than it was before. Specifically, I learned about the injustices the American government has committed over the years. This has made me more skeptical of the elementary and high school system. No I don’t believe colleges are too politically correct.
ReplyDelete-Angelo D'Agostini
DeleteOne big challenge facing the American higher-education system is cost. This is going o be extremely unpopular, but student loans are a double edged sword. You may view the bank as the enemy, but they are accepting an almost unfathomable amount of risk in giving them out. The rate at which they are paid back has slowed to a crawl, and thus are incredibly risky investments for the institution. Student loan debt has ballooned to 1.5 trillion, eclipsing credit card debt. The reason they are given out is ostensibly because there is an implied guarantee from the federal government that the debt will eventually be bailed out. As such, the money is paid to institutions which have to do more to lure students there. The money is wasted on luxuries and amenities by the school, instead of on the education of students. Institutional spending is the real culprit.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the most important challenges pertaining to higher education in America is the cost to attend. The cost of the specific college and the scholarship I received was the defining factor for me when choosing a college. Because I am putting myself through school, I did not want to sign my life away to student loans especially just for undergrad. In regard to how higher education affects our political culture, I believe that it leads us to be more liberal. This could simply be the experience or the atmosphere at DePaul, but after being here most students, and professors, are extremely liberal and with that atmosphere my political beliefs have shifted. Before attending Depaul, my views tended to be moderate without leaning one way or another, however, now they have shifted to the left. I do believe that colleges, and specifically DePaul, are too politically correct. I recognized a theme at DePaul that if your views are conservative then your opinions are not listened to. This very notion can be traced back to the several speakers that have been turned down or canceled because their views were seen as “offensive.” Although I do not necessarily agree with blocking speakers because of their views, I do believe that being respectful, regardless of opinion, is crucial.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Triefenbach
I think that there are a lot of loose connotations attached to the phrase “politically correct”, especially in a college setting where information intake is at a very high level for a lot of the students, who are also coming of age and forming values and morals for themselves, and establishing there social identity. My social experience with the phrase politically correct, is that the question or statement was not formed with sensitivity towards the subjects, or otherwise groups that have been historically correct. But a spin around on political correctness is the behavior that follows. If you must say things that are politically correct, then you must be open to arguments that might disagree with your own, because that is the politically correct thing to do. To answer the question of whether colleges are too politically correct or not at all; Colleges are not politically incorrect so long as they provide an environment that allows individuals to listen to one another in an equal and safe setting. –Derek van Thullenar
ReplyDeleteI think that my college experience thus far has informed my beliefs in a roundabout way. People here are more politically engaged than the average American, thus I more often engaged in political debate and it is often of a higher quality. Usually it is very difficult to make headway with opinions and generalizations alone. In my experience, emotion motivates people but reason convinces people. Emotional pleas only work if you are talking to someone who already agrees with you. If you approach a debate with specific facts, figure, and policy options you are more likely to be able to actually reach the person you are talking to. I have attempted to memorize more facts, read more studies, and apply real world examples to my abstract beliefs in order to be more effective in discussions. In this way, being in college has motivated me, an already avid political participant, to become even more engaged and sure of my beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI believe one of the most important challenges pertaining to higher education today is how to appropriately cultivate an environment for civil, and productive discourse. I do think that students should be exposed to a wide array of viewpoints because then students are able to more deeply examine their own beliefs. Universities should focus on empowering students to think critically on issues affect our society, but more importantly, there should be a culture of compromise and respect that should be created in this process. We need to be able to hear each other out, but we also have to be able find compromises in order to make progress in our country.
ReplyDeleteI don't think my experience in higher education affected my perception of politics or political culture. I think of this time this is when I really started to figure out my political identity because I was surrounded by so many people expressing their opinions and talking about politics I was able to be more informed and develop my own ways of thinking. I don't know if I would say that colleges are too politically correct but I would argue for the University of sake that it's easier and safer on their part if they are overly politically correct then if they disregard people's views and opinions and don't seem like they care about their University community
ReplyDeleteI think the most important issue that higher education faces today, from a student perspective, is the price tag and subsequent repayment. The price to go to college is immense and it only get worse with the interest accumulated on top of it. People are not believing that the money they spend is worth the money to attend, approximately 50% from the article.
ReplyDeleteHigher education did not majorly change my view on politics or political culture. In college I did find myself putting names and faces to political views. Growing up I had always heard about the other side of the argument when it came to a political ideas/ policy but coming to college was the first time, I met people who held those beliefs. This was interesting for me because it was no longer just an idea that I had heard but now I knew someone who believed it, so it made the view real.
John Milas
I would definitely agree the cost of higher education is the most pressing issue we deal with. Just this Sunday the CBS Morning Show did a bit about homeless college students. The Sunday Morning show actually interviewed a homeless college student who goes to DePaul. More and more students are going to college because we are being told it is our way to a better life but it is causing a severe financial burden on students. There are not enough programs in college to look out for students who maybe at risk of going hungry or being homeless. K-12 gets federal funding for students who need things like free and reduced lunch but by the time it gets to college that funding has dried up. Until I saw this special I had no idea college students could be going through this.
DeleteMy experience with politics at DePaul has actually been pretty different. This is the first time I've felt like I have been in a liberal bubble. I think it has to do with living in a big city where as before I lived in Kansas which was very conservative and then Denver which was very mixed.
I think that some of the largest problems focused around higher education today end up being price and institutional agendas. By that I mean that young people are discouraged to go to college because they are financial unable to or don't learn about the benefits that going to college can possess, and that a lot of large universities nowadays have political agendas. It's long been true that Colleges and universities have been liberal institutions and so many of them produce students who are largely liberal in their political thought, like here at DePaul. However, today there are a number of conservatively focused universities that try and influence the political stances a student may have by masking it under the guise of religion or simply school policy. Universities like Liberty University, Wheaton College, and the University of Northwestern are largely conservative institutions that are also evangelical and try to marry political conservatism with Christianity much like what happened in the 60's during the mega-church evangelical revolution. Ultimately though I think that a great deal of colleges and universities don't allow for or encourage a large amount of free and open thought for students to make up their own minds politically. And I believe that has led to a fair amount political polarization amongst college students and recent graduates, as well as it has led to a number of college students not caring about or having any sort of education in regards to politics.
ReplyDeleteTiana Petricevic
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that being in college has “changed” my political views, but I would say that it has helped me realize why I believe the things that I do. Since coming here, I have been forced to understand myself better because I’ve had to defend my opinions. It wasn’t that I didn’t know my justification before, but that I didn’t understand it fully enough. Being in political science classes have also showed me how to approach topics in ways that I hadn’t thought about before. They gave me tools to better understand myself and political issues. For example, one class that was really eye opening was international relations. I didn’t know much about foreign policy in the first place, so it was hard for me to justify my views on foreign issues. After learning more in depth information about these issues, I can better justify my beliefs and participate in intellectual conversations about them.
I completely agree, I’ve found that I have become so much more defensive with that I believe in as well. And yes, having taken American foreign policy with you was so eye opening. It’s so different to learn about things from one perspective but when you’re able to look at multiple viewpoints, it definitely affects the way one is able to analyze and think about certain things.
Delete-Alexandra Stamatis
Higher education is deemed as a necessity and we are constantly told the only way to gain success in the work force is through college. But a very large part of Americans cannot afford college. It is often said that if you cannot afford college that their are enough scholarships for you to afford it. And if you don't go out and get all these scholarships you are often times deemed as simply lazy. But someone who is in school and works a job simply does not have the time to complete scholarships. As often times scholarships are very time consuming. Furthermore the student loan system more often than not leads to students having substantial debt after college. Students are spending vast amount of money on higher education, perhaps more money than they can even make with a diploma from said university. IN a society where higher education is really the only tool for class mobility it needs to be more affordable.
ReplyDeleteEmmanuel Valtierrez
The most important challenges pertaining to higher education is that many don't feel like they are getting the result from the money that they are investing. For example, people spend time and money at a 4 year institution, and graduate with a enormous amount in student loan debt. many people don't find work straight out of college, or find a low paying job and spend their time paying the loans off.
ReplyDeleteThe experience of higher education affects the perception of politics and political education of the students of the university/college. Of course higher education is backed up with liberal/Democratic beliefs where help shapes the viewpoints of the students. So going to college will help one become more understanding of various beliefs and political viewpoints. Every university is pro-gay, pro-choice, pro-women etc. I never once heard of a college that are against liberal beliefs.
Of course being in college makes me have a liberal view of the world. being in different classes they embrace everyone regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, etc. so since being in a institution where liberal ideas are promoted, helped shape my viewpoint.
I do believe colleges are too politically correct because they only bring people that they agree with. No college is going to allow a racist to come speak with their students. If they do they give the opportunity of their students being involved in a riot or being physically hurt.
I think the most difficult part about higher education is paying for it. The price has skyrocketed and has not matched inflation rates. College debt is the highest in the nation which is ridiculous. I love the fact that I'll be in debt the rest of my life! However I do think (although not necessary for everyone) college is a great experience, it lets you learn more about yourself and the world around you. Even though it's my first year I've had a lot of growth. Being in a diverse place for school has opened my eyes to new backgrounds and traditions, which I love. I think colleges should be politically correct in order to best represent and respect their student body. I think being in college has really made me more critical of society because I'm digging deeper into a lot of world themes, and then seeing them in the city, so I'm not just learning about an experience but living in it too, unlike high school which seemed pretty sheltered.
ReplyDelete-Riley
America’s higher education system is rife with numerous problems that have accumulated and worsened over the past few decades. Every college or university has problems on a smaller, more localized scale, but there are much larger issues at play that affect the entire nation. Higher education has become highly commercialized, leading to shady practices such as the ludicrous overpricing of textbooks and the use of underhanded strategies for keeping students enrolled in classes for as long as possible. To make matters worse, the “employment value” of a college degree has sharply decreased, forcing students to pursue more and more specialized degrees in order to break into the workforce after undergrad. It is not entirely unheard of today for an English major to be hired into an industry like insurance, but potential candidates with business, finance, or economics degrees will almost always be chosen first. This limits the academic flexibility of many students who are in many cases expected to select a “career” through their chosen degree before the age of twenty.
ReplyDeleteWhile the employment value of a college education goes down, the cost of obtaining one continues to climb. The reasons for this are complex and involve everything from income inequality to a decrease in state funding for higher education, but no matter the cause, the fact remains that the majority of college graduates leave with a significant amount of debt. Many different issues need to be tackled before the industry of higher education can be considered efficient, and these issues run very deep. In the face of massive student debt and low employment rates, it is hard to imagine that history will look back at this era as a good time to be attending a college or university unless the situation takes an even larger turn for the worse.
- Nora
Nora,
DeleteI agree with you wholeheartedly on your stance on the insane cost of college and its decreasing value. I have often said, even when talking with some of my professors, that looking back now if I could redo time, I don't know if I'd attend college. Not because I dislike it or am opposed to learning, but because of the steep, steep cost, and decreasing real-world value. It's disheartening to think about, in my opinion. That I studied a subject for years and will likely not use the degree more than just for the qualification of having a degree.
-Paulina
High education is viewed as an utmost necessity, but isn't priced in a way accessible to everyone--especially kids and families in low-income neighborhoods. Those living in settings with underfunded schools (especially CPS) are inherently at a disadvantage when considering the educational opportunities (or lack, thereof) presented to them. The number of kids attending prestigious universities in Wilmette will look significantly different from those in Austin. Not to even mention that ivy-leagues (+prestigious institutions in general) are built upon YEARS of discrimination, and are based in practices that have traditionally only benefitted white, privileged, upper-class citizens. (Legacy admissions--a sham.) I have tons of friends attending universities like Northwestern who talk often about the struggles they face and how those institutions were not "made" for them. It's really saddening.
ReplyDeleteAlso important to note is that we live in modern capitalist America, where the end goal is to end up in a position where one is able to sell their labor in order to survive. Higher education institutions have become hyper-specialized with an emphasis on business and STEM. The pressure to learn narrow skillsets is extremely damaging to the ability to cultivate independent minds that question and think critically. Liberal arts, which is magnitudes more beneficial in instilling long-term skillsets and preparing young Americans to learn, is unfortunately extremely stigmatized in contemporary media. I think Jack made a really insightful point about the media campaign against liberal studies, and how only privileged kids with a generous financial safety net can afford to study the liberal arts.
I believe that having completed some type of higher education does help increase the chances of getting a job and is beneficial to those who have access to it. With that being said, the cost of college is no joke and of course that plays a big determining factor in whether some students can even attend college to begin with. I think the cost of college is one of the most important challenges to students today. Then, coming out of college with so many loans and debts is another issue.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that the experience of higher education affects our perceptions in general, but definitely not in a big way. Coming to college is an experience in itself though- getting exposed to so many different types of people. But I think that by the time we go to college, we have already developed our beliefs about issues we perceive to be important- whether that’s about politics or other important issues prevalent today. Personally, being in college has not affected my views. I came in already very confident in what I believe in. I think it’s just eye opening to hear about other people’s opinions and viewpoints.
-Alexandra Stamatis
For many Americans, the association of the words criminal justice system and public education are not commonly noted for having significant correlation, some may think that public education can deters and lessens the chance of incarceration – however, the reality for racial minorities (specifically African American males) is that these two institutions have significant ties to one another. The disparities in education for African Americans are not only limited to feeding the school-prison pipeline; the lack of adequate funding in inner-city/urban schools, along with public schools remaining separate and unequal almost 64 years after the Brown v Board of Education decision has resulted in the maintenance of the black-white achievement gap, and because of race discrimination, young blacks today continue to struggle in pursing their post-academic careers in regard to employment.
ReplyDelete- Avarie Evans-Allen
There are many challenges and problems concerning higher education in the United States. The cost of going to a four year university has increased immensely over the last couple of decades, leaving parents and students to burden the cost. Along with a high cost to attend, universities across the country have had to deal with problems of free speech and safe spaces. It is difficult to find a right balance and it is impossible to satisfy everyone. DePaul has made it extremely difficult to bring political speakers to campus because of the incident with right-wing troll, Milo Yiannopoulos, a few years back. Organizations at DePaul need to request at least a month in advance to get a speaker on campus. Many have started to do these events off campus to avoid DePaul’s slow bureaucracy. It is important to allow people the ability to speak their minds and political views. Universities should support freedom of speech on campus but they should intervene when it is hate speech or if the speaker’s sole intent is to provoke violence or pain from other students. It is difficult to find a balance to this mess, but DePaul’s solution is not the answer.
ReplyDelete- Jeff Rios
I was having a discussion in another class that dealt with precisely this question of some of the challenges that come about in higher education. One that stood out to me was the topic of freedom of speech on campus. We read a book in which the authors argue that our generation has been coddled too much and it has made us overly sensitive to differing opinions. According to them, instead of hearing other opinions we shut out things that we disagree with or make us uncomfortable. One example of this is the outbreak of campus protests that erupt when controversial speakers are invited to speak on campus. Specifically, I think of the time when Milo Yiannopoulos came to speak at DePaul in 2016. I think this is a major challenge at DePaul and at other higher ed institutions. I mean at one point is it okay to shut down speech that some people find disagreeable? Or is it always acceptable? As for my own opinion, I think speech that is purposely inciting violence and disruption should be shut down.
ReplyDeleteSee: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-depaul-speech-milo-yiannopolous-breitbart-edit-0601-jm-20160531-story.html
I think that the most important challenge to higher education is the cost. Colleges are looking to make a profit, and tuition is growing at a higher rate than aid. Getting a college education is necessary and not accessible. This only leads to more education gaps and income inequality.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that colleges have a free speech crisis. There are some isolated events that happen on campuses that are blown way out of proportion. The real danger on college campuses is the safety (physical & identity) of marginalized students. There is a difference between challenging students ideas in the classroom and allowing free speech to dehumanize students. Safes spaces and trigger warning are less of an infringement of free speech and more an act of decency and respect.
Flonja Hoxha
Posted for Anna (on time):
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important challenges pertaining to higher education in America today is the fact that a college degree is considered essential to obtaining a well-paying job but education costs are rising while the fields of opportunity are decreasing. This creates two large issues: 1) People are in debt and cannot find jobs and 2) there are a lot of people without college degrees because they cannot afford them. These realities directly challenge the common belief that a college degree can help anyone move up in the social and economic scale because they put so many people at an immediate disadvantage. I don’t think college should be so expensive because it does not guarantee a successful job, nor is it accessible for those who cannot afford ridiculous tuition prices. Being at DePaul, my perception of American society has definitely changed because I realized how many people have lost hope in a positive American future. So many of my peers and teachers lack trust in our government and while I can see where they are coming from, I don’t believe that our nation is doomed. I think that we should take pride in our nation because we have so many opportunities. However, at the same time, I have also not been exposed to a lot of social challenges in life so I don’t believe I am fully qualified to speak about the justness of our government to the fullest extent and I know I can learn a lot from listening to my peers. -Anna Starobinets