Drop the race and gender material from your course and the Plato readings, or teach a different course. You have a day to decide. That's a paraphrase of what Martin Peterson, professor of philosophy at Texas A&M University, was told by university officials today about his upcoming "Contemporary Moral Problems" course, due to start next
Specifically, they’re being told to drop an assigned reading from the Symposium.
Which, to be very clear, does not make the situation any more acceptable. This shit is awful, but specifics are important.
Come to think of it, I did have a student complaining about the Apology last semester because it was “too woke.” That same student also complained about Weil and said Thomas Aquinas wasn’t Christian enough.
More to the point on Texas though… I earned a PhD in philosophy from a university in Texas (not A&M), and got to do some teaching during that time.
Back then, and this was only 2021, I was allowed to assign black liberation theology as reading in my World Religions class. Can only imagine how they would go over today.
Some scattered thoughts….
Specifically, they’re being told to drop an assigned reading from the Symposium.
Which, to be very clear, does not make the situation any more acceptable. This shit is awful, but specifics are important.
Come to think of it, I did have a student complaining about the Apology last semester because it was “too woke.” That same student also complained about Weil and said Thomas Aquinas wasn’t Christian enough.
More to the point on Texas though… I earned a PhD in philosophy from a university in Texas (not A&M), and got to do some teaching during that time.
Back then, and this was only 2021, I was allowed to assign black liberation theology as reading in my World Religions class. Can only imagine how they would go over today.