What class are we in? Is this part of the course? What does this have to do with math? Does anybody else find themselves asking these questions recently?
Being a college student this year has been quite interesting. Not only with the major adjustments we all had to make from the virus, but also with the countless other things going on in the world around us. It feels like the word “vote” is just inescapable.
“hackNY Spring 2011 Student Hackathon” by hackNY is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Campaign ads are virtually everywhere and everyone is expected to choose their preferred old rich white man. Slipping away from the constant rush of political conversation has not been easy, not even the classroom will give a break to young adults, many of whom have been burnt out on the seemingly endless discussion.
There has always been a concerning mixture of education and politics in academics, but especially in 2020. Although there are plenty of professors and students who love spouting their political views to others, many people have had enough. They just don’t have the energy to care anymore.
Personally, I just want to go to school, learn, get exceptional grades and socialize with their friends. I don’t want to hear about other’s political opinions all the time. With all due respect, it is absolutely necessary to hear out other’s opinions, but there is a time and a place to do so.
Political discussion should not be banned from the classroom, especially when certain classes revolve around and grow from it. Teachers need to understand their influence, sometimes teaching politics will lead some students away from them.
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, whether they are teachers, students, counselors or workers on campus. In fact, each of these point of views on life will have with them their own individual perspective that another may not even consider.
It is healthy for people to discuss how they feel so we can better understand each other’s perspectives. This way of thinking does not promote division through opposing views, it promotes people accepting differences and work past them. We need to stop seeing politics as an alienating conversation, as it should be one of coming together.
Problems arise when people think that just because they are in a position of power, they need to spread their political views even when it doesn’t apply. Not that these people aren’t entitled to share their ideas, but it has to be done respectfully and responsibly. With that kind of position, it comes with a lot of influence, power and oftentimes, a lack of responsibility. For example, a writing teacher should not spend the class discussing the election, but instead writing about it.
The responsibility of the professors is to be conscious of what they are saying and who they are speaking to. A person’s personality should never be a set of beliefs, it should be the person behind them. It is important to not let politics control us, we are all still people and we will never fully agree but we need to look past that.
Teachers are hired to teach their course, not give their political views. Doing that can lead a student to discredit their class as unimportant or just an outlet for the teacher to be political. In turn, the student will become uninterested. Professors need to find and establish a balance that will allow them to make an objective point. They should also consider using their time effectively. Logging into a Zoom call to hear who the professor is voting for, and why, is not a wise use of limited class time. It pushes the students away. At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that we are paying thousands and thousands of dollars for an education, not somebody’s opinions.
