UH asks professors to sign pledge to educate, 'not indoctrinate'

The Satellite
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https://www.chron.com/politics/article/uh-professors-educate-not-indoctrinate-21335673.php

First, this is going to be political but it deals with UH so it is relevant and should be discussed. I ask everyone to try to discuss this objectively and avoid partisan politics as much as possible here. Hopefully we can have a civil discussion on this.

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The emailed form was titled, “A Primary Objective of Higher Education is to Enhance Critical Thinking.”

  • “Our responsibility is to give [students] the ability to form their own opinions, not to force a particular one on them. Our guiding principle is to teach them, not to indoctrinate them.”* Renu

Sounds good

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My issue with this is that it’s a huge waste of time and taxpayer money. Everybody is taking these defensive measures to avoid retaliation from Republican politicians, but is any of this necessary? I never once encountered a professor who tried to “indoctrinate” anyone on any subject. You can find an exception to the rule if you look hard enough, but this isn’t a real issue that needs addressing (other than to appease the egos of small-minded individuals).

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If teachers and professors had the kind of sway to manipulate and indoctrinate students, the use of deodorant by kids at school would be a sure thing. Yet they can’t get kinds to practice personal hygiene.

Just more political theater to strive for conformity and eliminate critical thinking.

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In other words, a solution in search of a problem. I can agree with that assessment.

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Bingo!

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Exactly. Similar to the proposed “FURRIES Act”, which was a response to the debunked rumor that one kid somewhere used a litter box in a school one time. The bill failed, but we spent taxpayer money on this. I don’t care if it was a dollar, any amount of money spent on stupid stuff like this is a colossal waste.

FURRIES Act - Wikipedia

How Furries Got Swept Up in Anti-Trans ‘Litter Box’ Rumors | Snopes.com

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I am proud of our president,and our university. If you don’t think there is propagandizing going on just look at the anti-semitic demonstrations, riots and vandalism occuring at some universities.

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I am too, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything she and the school do.

University protests and demonstrations have always been a thing. Some of the current issues are different than they were 10/20/30 years ago, but the underlying concept is the same. The only difference is that we now have a president who’s willing to use the weight of the federal government (and significant taxpayer dollars) to quash speech that he disagrees with.

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As noted it’s a solution without a real problem. Also this will inevitably turn into “anything we don’t like is 'evil indoctrination '” Just like the words “socialism” is just code for things we don’t like.

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When i was a student at UH my economics professor told the class “Despite what your family has told you, greed is good”
I wonder how many students got indoctrinated that day

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Yeah but you see that’s extolling the virtues of our capitalist system. Thus that’s good indoctrination.

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When I was at UH no professor was indoctrinating anyone, but they shared their opinions on things, just like any other person would.

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I’m relieved it’s something relatively meaningless instead of what’s happening at A&M and Tech, which are under hostile takeover from extremist politicians. If this keeps that kind of BS at bay, then be thankful.

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Exactly. I tested my opinions against others (including professors) and if mine did not hold up I would have to reconsider my opinion or position.

I always thought universities were there to allow the exchange of ideas, even ideas one does not like.

It seems like it is actual indoctrination to demand standardized group think.

The goal is purely political too, one party does not like the fact that young voters do not vote their way and this is a “solution looking for a problem” to get young kids to vote their way.

Dumb and uneducated is now part of a certain parties platform.

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Well, there was that one guy that kept preaching the college was a waste of time and money.

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The irony of all of this is that the university taking the biggest stand against this supposed “indoctrination” (i.e. A&M) is a massive cult.

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Those haven’t happened at UH, fortunately. Those really were a small minority of universities.

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“Only because it’s an Aggie thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

Am I doing an aggie correctly?

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And even where it did happen, it’s a stretch to assume that it was the result of professors “indoctrinating” students. Of all the places where students get information and opinions, professors probably have the least amount of time with them.

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