Sapere Aude!

A Legitimate Use of Police Power?

 

 

 

Secular Ethics Lead to Nazism?

Conservative crossbench MP Fred Nile has introduced his private member's bill to abolish school ethics classes, arguing the course is based on a philosophy linked to Nazism and communism.

The Christian Democratic Party MP told the upper house his bill would abolish ethics classes in public schools at the end of this school year, saying that with just 2700 students enrolled, the program had been a failure.

Ethics classes were introduced by the former Labor government as an alternative for children who did not want to attend traditional scripture classes.

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The Reverend Nile provoked anger among Greens and Labor MPs when he said the "dangerous" secular humanist philosophy taught in the ethics course had led to the worst atrocities committed during World War II.

"It's relative ethics, which is the basis of secular humanism and I believe ... this is the philosophy we saw during World War II with the Nazis and with the communists," Mr Nile told the Legislative Council today.

"Situation ethics, as I see it, was followed by other regimes such as the Nazis and communists.

"Situation ethics means nothing is right and nothing is wrong ... Therefore, you can kill human beings without any embarrassment and any reservations.

"It's a very dangerous philosophy."

via www.brisbanetimes.com.au

So, either religious ethics or fascism?  Great reasonining there along with some shockingly ignorant ideas about Nazi ideology.  That guy should be required to take the course and produce a well-reasoned argument to support his views on ethics or be banned.

Michael Sandel on The Colbert Report

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Dogmatic Students Are The Problem, No "Liberal" Professors

This little study confirms what virtually faculty member already knows.  Students cry bias whenever anybody challenges their ideas.

A regular theme in conservative critiques of higher education is that liberal professors discriminate against right-leaning students. Many faculty members (with studies to back them up) reject the charge. Even if faculty members may lean left, they argue, there is simply no evidence of systematic bias in how students are graded and treated.

A new study in the journal College Teaching suggests that it's possible that some students do perceive bias, but that the reasons may have to do more with their own identities than with anything taking place in the classroom. Notably, the author does not cite his findings simply to rebut the conservative critics, but to suggest that there may be classroom techniques that would lessen the perception of bias.

The study examined 148 female students and 123 male students at a land-grant university in the Southeast where political attitudes among students are fairly evenly split. The students were given two sets of questionnaires -- one on how settled and resistant to change they were (in politics and the rest of their lives) and the other on their perceptions of bias from their faculty members.

The study found that students -- even in the same classrooms -- didn't perceive bias in the same ways (or at all), and those who perceived bias were those who were resistant to changing any of their views. The finding extended to some who identified themselves as being far on the left and resistant to change, and who believed that they had some biased conservative professors. But among both left-leaning and right-leaning students who didn't score high on resistance to new ideas, there was little perception of bias.

Darren L. Linvill, the study's author and director of basic courses in the department of communication studies at Clemson University, said that while his research (including interviews with the students claiming bias) found no evidence of real bias, the findings about perception should be of concern to faculty members.

Many faculty members -- himself included, Linvill noted -- play devil's advocate to many students, expressing a range of views. This time-tested classroom technique, he said, may not work with students who arrive in class determined not to hear new ideas.

Students, especially super conservative students, tend to make charges of bias whenever their preferred ideas are challenged.  So, in classes that emphasize teaching critical thinking skills and logical reasoning and where the professor plays devil's advocate in order to faciliate the development of those skills they are bound to get allegations of bias from dogmatic students.

 

Colbert on Sarah Palin's Paul Revere

Hilarious!

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Now, that's how to educate people about American history!

Now that's how to educate people about American history!

"Little Winstons" Trying to Edit Wikipedia Paul Revere Page

You've probably heard about Sarah Palin's family vacation.  She's riding around the country learning about American History.  Some of news coverage of the tour indicates she definately needs an educational vacation this summer.  She either doesn't quite understand what Paul Revere actually did or cannot communicate her understanding clearly.  In typical Palin fashion, she is refusing to admit any fault in either her understanding of US History or of her ability to communiate it clearly, she doubled-down on it.  The "great communicator" she is not.  Some of her supporters have taken things a little further.  From Little Green Footballs:

Man, you’ve gotta almost admire the sheer blind dedication of Sarah Palin’s wingnut acolytes.

Now they’re trying like crazy to edit the Wikipedia page for “Paul Revere” to make it match Palin’s botched version of history. Here’s the Revision history of Paul Revere; check out the edits that are being reversed.

Also see the discussion page for an entertaining exchange between Wikipedia editors and a would-be revisionist.

via littlegreenfootballs.com

In George Orwell's 1984  - which, I think, is a much better referrence our current economic predicament than Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged - the main character, Winston, works in The Ministry of Truth.  His job is to go back and revise the content past documents that make up "the official record" so that it suits the political leadership's current political purposes.  But, in order for the machine to work, enough people have to be willing to do this kind of work.  Totalitarian regimes require a measure of popular support in order to carry out their plans.  It looks like some Palin supporters are willing to do this kind of work.  They're Palin's "little Winstons."  Thankfully, Wikipedia is not the official record.

Charges Dropped Against Teacher That Punched Student

Here's the video.

Tennessee Senate Bans Teaching the Debate Over Homosexuality

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill passed Friday by the Tennessee Senate would forbid public school teachers and students in grades kindergarten through eight from discussing the fact that some people are gay.

Opponents deride the measure as the "don't say gay bill." They say it's unfair to the children of gay parents and could lead to more bullying. Supporters say it is intended to give teachers clear guidance for dealing with younger children on a potentially explosive topic.

The bill isn't likely to be taken up by the House before lawmakers adjourn this spring, but the sponsor there has said he would push it forward in 2012 when the General Assembly comes back for the second year of the session.

Passage would make Tennessee the first state to enact such legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2003, Washington defeated a proposal similar to Tennessee's, as did California in 2005 and 2006. A Louisiana law forbids the use of sexually explicit materials depicting homosexuality in sex education classes.

Under the proposal, any instruction or materials at a public elementary or middle school would be limited to age-appropriate lessons about the science of human reproduction.

The legislation was amended from the original version, which said no elementary or middle schools will "provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

To review. Do not talk about homosexuality, but be sure you "teach the debate" over Evolution. As another critic of the law points out, it may have other consequences.

However, a critic said the new wording could create other problems.

Sen. Roy Herron, D- Dresden, said it "may inadvertently prevent the teaching of ethics, morality and abstinence."

 

 

Identity Politics: From the Founders to Malcolm X and Obama

It's been an interesting couple of weeks in identity politics.  David Barton and Prof. Richard Beeman were each on The Daily Show discussing religion, the Founders, and the Constitution. Some basic Dead White Male stuff regarding what the Founders intended regarding the sepeartion of church and state.   Cornell West made some, er, suprising, criticisms of Obama.  And, a Black Studies Professor and a Harlem activist debate black history and black consciousness on Democracy Now.  Check out some highlights below the fold.

What's Patriotism?

That release included the comment from Martin, “I also thought today brought out a wonderful display of patriotism among the students conducting the counter-protest.”

The online arts blog, allography.com responded by selling “Civil Discourse Kits” of water balloons and bottles on eBay. The online posting had the added message, “If you want to let Mr. Martin know how you feel about him and thank him for redefining what is meant by patriotism and civil discourse, we urge you to call him …”

There also was a petition started at Change.org criticizing Martin and LSU’s media relations staff, arguing in part, “LSU’s Chancellor did nothing to denounce the violent mob — even praising the ‘patriotism’ of the ‘counter-protest.’”

However, Martin clarified in his updated statement, “I do not condone the behavior of that portion of the crowd who … resorted to verbal threats and physical actions against the student while and after he tried to read his statement.”

Martin also stated, “Let me make these points clear: I do not condone the burning of the flag, but I defend the right for someone to express their freedom of speech by doing so. I applaud the many who responded with great passion to speak up for what their flag represents, and that was the purpose of the inspiring patriotic counter-protest that was organized …”

The organized counter-protest that continued after Haas’ departure included the pledge of allegiance and the singing of the national anthem.

via www.2theadvocate.com

I'm pretty sure that if you threaten a guy's life and pelt him with water bottles and trash because you don't like the way he's exercising his First Amendment rights, then you are not patriotic.  Even if you sing the national anthem and say the pledge of allegiance afterwards.