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October 14, 2008
Painful politics
I'm constantly taking the pulse of academe, even though I'm somewhat removed from it currently as a full-time technical writer. I can't help it. I hope that some day I will work at a university to teach students about English and writing. (That's a goal for before I die... I've stopped putting a time limit on things, and I think I'm better for it.)
But things like this... Things like this article freeze me and force me to reconsider the career I pine for.
It has been one bitter election season (ahem, year and a half), and it's only getting uglier every day. I have been trying to remain publicly unaffiliated for the sake of my own sanity, having already been through the ringer in college for freely espousing my political stance. If my beliefs happen to come up, I discuss. I have remained mostly silent both verbally and electronically. But I must speak up.
I have known Inside Higher Ed to lean left before, but I have generally looked past it. I put on my glasses that slant to the right and read onward. But this is too far. I fear that this sentiment and its constant iteration forces me to continually reconsider my life--political and moral values or fulfillment of a life-long dream? Having to choose is simply sinister. No, it's not just this one article... but this article sure does put the issue in the forefront of my mind.
Posted by KarissaKilgore at October 14, 2008 7:23 PM
Comments
So subvert the institutions from the inside Karissa - that's what you and Mike and I did! That's part of the reason I am glad to wear my politics on my sleeve at Seton Hill, while not being a proselytizer! At some schools, any conservative will run into trouble. The humanities may be more liberal that the sciences, but there are still people on both sides of the aisle willing to talk about their issues.
I like working in academia. I feel very fortunate not to teach in a politically charged subject (as long as I don’t talk about NCLB or the Department of Education). I just make sure that I explain my political opinions are just my opinions, and they are unrelated to my class (another advantage of being in math). After all, opinions are like backsides: everyone has one, and very few people want to hear anyone else’s :)
Posted by: Joshua Sasmor at October 14, 2008 9:24 PM