It's okay to let your Ass hang out - just keep your Elephant in

In my (un)professional opinion, I believe most students at Wittenberg are actually right-leaning but the faculty is left-leaning. However, I think this gets lost in the overall assumption that Wittenberg, as a whole, is a liberal campus.

Just looking around, one observes the liberal propaganda around campus: Obama stickers on water bottles, Democratic bumper stickers on cars, and liberal posters on professors’ doors. I am all for the First Amendment and think it’s great that students are able to voice their political views. Moreover, I think it is even better students take the time to be aware of the issues going on outside of the Witt bubble. But is it okay for professors to show their political bias, whichever way they lean?

You all heard it in class when Mac opened up the Watergate discussion with “Nixon sucks.” (Sorry to pick on you Mac, but I have to use this). Mac teaches us to get to know the facts, disseminate hard news to the audience, and above all, be objective and don’t show bias. However a journalism professor told us Nixon sucks. I’m not saying Nixon didn’t suck, I’m just asking – is this okay in the classroom?

I’m doing my story on the political atmosphere on campus and already got two really good quotes:

“Teaching American National Government should teach about that, not about how Republicans are idiots and Democrats are awesome, “ said junior Rob Metry.

On a similar note, junior poli sci major Ann Ultsch said, “Just because it’s an entry level class doesn’t mean that you can teach/grade it with bias, not matter which way you lean to influence your students. It can deter students from entering the field.”

I think those who identify as liberal, including most professors, are more vocal about it. Maybe we just don’t hear about conservative students and they just aren’t as vocal. After all, it can be quite intimidating to bring up a conservative argument in class if you know the professor is liberal and don’t want your view to be considered “wrong” – or maybe “right” in this case (okay, bad joke).

A bystander may see a few liberal posters and hear a few very liberal arguments in class, but I think it’s mostly the professors that give Wittenberg that more liberal feel. Now, I realize most college campuses are liberal to begin with – but what about its students? I’ll leave you to think about that question. This also will be my effective cliffhanger, for I’m trying to find out that answer myself with my semester-long story.