Opinion on this professer, please

[kimmyann]

No, I really didn't think I should get involved, that is why I told her to go herself to guidance. I'm not the one there and I know you meet all kinds in this crazy world. I know there are some nutjobs out there teaching, I just didn't know what is acceptable and what isn't. I myself would probably be getting a good laugh off of this guy, he obviously has some issues.

 

[RachaelA]

I was a Poli Sci major. This is how most of the professors are. My friend and I would get ripped apart everyday in class because we were Republicans.

She just needs to learn to take what he says with a grain of salt. Let him rant. She doesn't have to actually believe what he says.

As long as she is being given the material that she is being tested on then I don't think there is a real problem. In a lot of my classes, we very rarely spent the class period talking about the material. Every class ended up being a debate about something completely different from what we were learning.

 

[wvjules]

It's college. You run into crappy prof's like that. You can either suck it up and finish the quarter and then go complain to the Dean or if he's not tenured, on his end of quarter eval or you drop the class. Pretty much the only 2 options you have. I wouldn't talk to the Dean until the end of the quarter when you'll no longer have that prof. Sorry. Colleges are a mixed bag in terms of what you're going to get. I have several profs that I just absolutely love and some that I just loathe.

College students shouldn't have to put up with professors that are biggoted, sexist, racist, etc. I don't have to put up with it as an employee so I don't see why a student at a college should have to put up with it either. If no one ever says anything then the crappy professors will continue with their agendas and everyone loses, especially the students. I think students should stand up for themselves, not ignore it.

BTW, there is a difference between professors I like, ones I dislike and the ones that have no business being in their profession to begin with.

 

[dakcp2001]

You should NOT get involved. Your daughter is a college student and it's up to her to fight her own battles. If the problem is that bad, she and other students should go talk to the department head or dean. She can also try dropping the class.

I agree 100%!!!

She is an adult, stay out of it. If she wants to complain she needs to stand on her own two feet and do it. You can't live her life for her. She needs to learn some independence. It is sort of shocking to me when parents of college aged children want to call and complain about these types of things.

 

[Traveliz]

Much like I ask my friends when I need advice on a situation I think you should be involved in that sense...meaning sure give your advice on how to handle the situation.

Good lord - people on the Dis ask for opinions about ALL KINDS of situations from what to serve for dinner to how to leave a husband. It seems though anytime someone asks for some advice regarding a college age child -- all the posters come out to say don't help them do anything - they are an adult now.

I disagree - they are an adult and they do need to handle it BUT there isn't a thing wrong with them working through the thought process with friends, parents or others (just as we do as adults on occasion).

That said generally I say deal with the teacher or whatever as its like the workplace - you never know who you will have to deal with - but then you can always go to HR if the situation is bad in a workplace.

I think if it really intolerable the Dean or Dept chair is the place for your daughter to go. She can ask if cursing and degradation of women in general is part of the theory of the class and expected.

Liz

 

[horseshowmom]

I completely disagree. If he was a rabid liberal or rabid conservative spouting his agenda, you would probably be right, but when he disparages women in a class full of women, I think a stand should be made. I would go to the dean.

Bigotry, racism, and sexism should not be tolerated in an academic environment (any environment really). This man probably grades the women lower too.

ETA: OP's DD should go to the dean, not OP.

I agree completely. I (meaning me as the student, not me as the parent) would have another visit with the powers that be and discuss the possibility of sexual harrassment and the creation of a hostile learning environment.

Taken from Black's Law Dictionary:
Sexual harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

This behavior would not be tolerated in a work environment and should certainly not be allowed in an educational environment. The only thing I might do differently is I might wait until after I got my final grade.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

My DD has just started her second semester at community college (she's doing 2 years here then transferring to the University to become a teacher). She is taking a government class and has complained about the teacher because he doesn't teach, just talks about his opinions. Anyways, that I know is just something that she would learn to deal with, just study and pass his tests, no biggie. Today though, she called me after class to tell me how horrible it was today. He was discussing politics and such and then proceeded to start yelling and cursing. He then talked about how ignorant women are for who they vote for and even for who they marry. (he said women vote for dumb rednecks and we are the cause of the goverment's problems) He then gave his opinion on what should be done with the 9/11 site and said how & why they should agree with him. I understand that some classes can contain some debate, but to have to listen to this guy go on rampages of cursing, yelling and making discrimatory remarks just doesn't seem right. I told her to go speak to the guidance office about it and they told her that her only option is to drop the class. If she drops it, that will mess up her entire schedule of transferring.

Does anyone have any opinion of how this should be handled? Should she just suck it up and get through it or should I become involved?

She needs to approach the administration. This behavior is uncalled for. I had a professor with an unsavory attitude toward women. The stuff he said was basically sexual harassment. The girls in class banded together, wrote him a note with specific examples, and told him if it did not stop we were going to the administration.

When I was getting my master's, I lived across from a woman who had been a professor. One day she cussed out a student in class. That student went to the administration. Once they started looking, they discovered that she did not hold the degrees she claimed or had done the research she claimed. She was promptly fired. I think she was mentally ill too as she heard voices and talked to them (she was well known for it even in class).

This all happened because a student decided to go to the administration. If it had been a parent, I doubt they would have taken it as seriously. If she is old enough to go to college, she is old enough to handle this herself (with your guidance behind the scenes)

 

[Rumpus]

Welcome to college.

Seriously...she will have to keep her head down and get through it. College is/was full of prof who were idiots, biggots, etc...just spouting off their own agenda. Nothing to do but just roll with it. In real life, we are all exposed to people with differing ideas..some WAY out there.

Suck it up.

Absolutely. Study and pass. There are math professors, science professors and English professors that do the exact same thing. Colleges are sanctuaries for the arrogant. If the OP's DD dropped every class with similar professors, it would take 8 years to graduate. The time to get even and seek justice is at the end of the class when an evaluation on the professor needs to be completed. The administration does pay attention to these. Maybe not after one semester but after repeated semesters. Sooner or later, it catches up.

 

[kimmyann]

I agree 100%!!!

She is an adult, stay out of it. If she wants to complain she needs to stand on her own two feet and do it. You can't live her life for her. She needs to learn some independence. It is sort of shocking to me when parents of college aged children want to call and complain about these types of things.

Please don't turn this into an arguement. It is a question about HOW it should be handled, I'm not spouting off of how I handled it. I will still give my kids guidance, no matter what age they are. Just because they turn 18 doesn't mean my job is done & I walk away. Thank you.

 

[horseshowmom]

Much like I ask my friends when I need advice on a situation I think you should be involved in that sense...meaning sure give your advice on how to handle the situation.

Good lord - people on the Dis ask for opinions about ALL KINDS of situations from what to serve for dinner to how to leave a husband. It seems though anytime someone asks for some advice regarding a college age child -- all the posters come out to say don't help them do anything - they are an adult now.

I disagree - they are an adult and they do need to handle it BUT there isn't a thing wrong with them working through the thought process with friends, parents or others (just as we do as adults on occasion).

That said generally I say deal with the teacher or whatever as its like the workplace - you never know who you will have to deal with - but then you can always go to HR if the situation is bad in a workplace.

I think if it really intolerable the Dean or Dept chair is the place for your daughter to go. She can ask if cursing and degradation of women in general is part of the theory of the class and expected.

Liz

 

[dakcp2001]

Sorry if my response was harsh, I am a former RA and it used to always blow me away how many college aged kids couldnt do anything for themselves. Well meaning parents can really smother their kids sometimes, and it only hurts them later on.

How do you make it to age 18 and not know how to do laundry? Some kids had their parents drive 2 hours to come wash their clothes and buy their groceries. Their parents would register them for classes, go buy their books, do all the simple things that most kids can do on their own if given the chance.

You know the whole give a man a fish he will eat for one meal, teach a man to fish...... life lessons!!!!

 

[punkin]

All you people who say that this is par for the course in college: I really want to know where these colleges are that tolerate this kind of behavior. I went to a college where I had some real "personalities" teaching, but no one was openly bigoted or abusive. It just would not have been tolerated. Now, granted, I went to a fairly prestigious school, but seriously, don't students complain in other schools?

...and of course, OP should guide her daughter. That's her job, even over the age of 18. She just shouldn't speak to administration and complain. That's the DD's job.

 

[kwelch10377]

Part of the question that was asked is "should I get involved" and most would take that to mean getting involved with addressing the issue with the school/professor. I don't think anyone is implying that advice should not be given nor that parenting should stop once your child hits college. All people are saying is that the OP should not be the one to talk to the school or professor and that her daughter needs to make the final descision.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

My ds always uses ratemyprofessor.com before picking a class

This winter class the prof made him watch cat videos. He just sucked it up since it was a history class and he needed the class.

If you dd complains it should be after the class is over when she gets her grade and on the eval too. She might want to have some proof etc

Hope it works out for her.

 

[Jennasis]

All you people who say that this is par for the course in college: I really want to know where these colleges are that tolerate this kind of behavior. I went to a college where I had some real "personalities" teaching, but no one was openly bigoted or abusive. It just would not have been tolerated. Now, granted, I went to a fairly prestigious school, but seriously, don't students complain in other schools?

...and of course, OP should guide her daughter. That's her job, even over the age of 18. She just shouldn't speak to administration and complain. That's the DD's job.

NYU
CW Post
Fordham
FIU
NC State
Cornell
Several SUNY schools
NYIT

Just to name the ones friends and relatives went to and experienced this.

 

[Sanchez]

All you people who say that this is par for the course in college: I really want to know where these colleges are that tolerate this kind of behavior. I went to a college where I had some real "personalities" teaching, but no one was openly bigoted or abusive. It just would not have been tolerated. Now, granted, I went to a fairly prestigious school, but seriously, don't students complain in other schools?

...and of course, OP should guide her daughter. That's her job, even over the age of 18. She just shouldn't speak to administration and complain. That's the DD's job.

You are making the assumption that what was conveyed to us actually happened. I have a feeling that if what was stated actually happened there would be complaints. Perhaps there were.

 

[punkin]

NYU
CW Post
Fordham
FIU
NC State
Cornell
Several SUNY schools
NYIT

Just to name the ones friends and relatives went to and experienced this.

Well, it's disgusting. The students really should have complained. Bigotry should not be tolerated by anyone.

 

[Handbag Lady]

As the mom, you should stay out. (ETA: I see you said you would.) I agree guidance from a parent is a good thing. Rushing down to the college with fists in the air is a bad thing. )

If your daughter asked me, I would argue with him in class. NO ONE calls women stupid in front of me. And then I would win the argument. I don't back down and would give him as much as he gave.

But. I would also tell her to record some of the classes and bring that to the dean. Back-ups never hurt.

 

[punkin]

You are making the assumption that what was conveyed to us actually happened. I have a feeling that if what was stated actually happened there would be complaints. Perhaps there were.

Of course none of us (including the OP) have first hand info. I'm just horrified that people are posting that if this did happen, OP's DD should just sit there quietly and take it.

 

[PixieTl]

college is a mixed bag! or like the proverbial "Box of Chocolates"!!
Let her handle it, but remind her to find something to take out of this.. even crappy, crazy teachers can be useful tools for later in life, if even for a joke at a party years down the road, goodness knows we've all had a few professor stories to help break the ice in other conversations down the road!

He views of women are out of line, and shouldn't be brought up to a class at all, I think even if she just sent an email to the Department Chair and or Dean would be a good idea if she is not comfortable with addressing them in person. Good luck to her!