Who thinks intellectualism has no place on college campuses?
Why, Georgia Republicans, of course. (Can we give Georgia it's own Fark tag?)
Steamy sex courses fire GOP's ire (Via Feministing.)
Upset House Republicans are mounting a campaign to purge Georgia's higher education system of professors with an expertise in racy sexuality topics as the state grapples with a $2.2 billion shortfall.
State Rep. Charlice Byrd, R-Woodstock, took the House well on Friday to announce a "grassroots" effort to oust professors with expertise in subjects like male prostitution, oral sex and "queer theory."
"This is not considered higher education," Byrd said. "If legislators are going to dole out the dollars, we should have a say-so in where they go."
Byrd and her supporters, including state Rep. Calvin Hill, R-Canton, said they will team with the Christian Coalition and other religious groups to pressure fellow lawmakers and the University System Board of Regents to eliminate the jobs.
"Our job is to educate our people in sciences, business, math," said Hill, a vice chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. He said professors aren't going to meet those needs "by teaching a class in queer theory."
Because how we approach issues from sex and sexuality, to gender, gender roles, sexual violence, and workplace discrimination have no impact whatsoever on the society of our states, our country or our world. Nope. None at all. Don't need to hear about it. Sure don't need to learn about.
Georgia State spokeswoman Andrea Jones called the critics' argument "flawed."
"Teaching courses in criminal justice, for example, does not mean that our students are being prepared to become criminals. Quite the opposite," said Jones. "Legitimate research and teaching are central to the development of relevant and effective policy."
Indubitably.
They don't get it.
Higher education is not just a matter of: here are the facts, memorize them and go out and use them. That's what primary school is for. To create automatons.
Higher education, hopefully (I'm painting with an idealist brush, I realize), teaches people to think about their thinking. To analyze. To solve problems. Identify solutions. Bridge gaps. To, I hope, think outside of the fucking box and not be so damned narrow minded.
...Wait. Maybe they do get it.
No wonder they want it ousted.
I think I might consider renouncing Georgia as my state of origin...
~*~
There's a post about the economy and what it means for women's studies over at Feministing, as well.
Basically: Classes deemed "nebulous" or ones that don't have a blatantly "functional" skill set (re: Ones that don't train you for a very specific field) are always the first to go.
Speaking as a Liberal Arts major, that really burns me.
Of course one of the commenters over there had to spout the "these degrees--philosophy, religious studies, english--won't get you a job."
And, of course, the English major in me takes serious umbrage with that.
Honestly.
I heard this shit for years when I was going through school. And you know? I'm fucking tired of that assumption.
It's extremely problematic for the simple fact that: There is no one degree that will "get you a job."
Employers, for all intents and purposes, (unless applying for a very specific job--say chemist, doctor, etc), are going to look at your resume and see that you have a degree. That you had the wherewithal and the stubbornness to sit through college classes and get that degree. Then they're going to look at your experience.
Frankly, knowing how to communicate clearly in spoken and written words is a prime skill. If you can't do that? Well, good luck to you.
And, my bias may be showing, but English teaches that skill and more. You've got to be able to make arguments and provide evidence for them. You've got to be able to do proper research and integrate it into your work. You have to be able to think critically. You have to get outside the box.
Hm. All things that I'm doing in my job right now.
A job in an office where, I can say with absolute truth, a majority of people hold liberal arts degrees (including our President and CEO who has a degree in...*gasp* English. From Sewanee. He also used to work in Hollywood. Eep. Blasphemy. Our lead writer and creative director has the same credentials: English Degree, Hollywood.)
[And from my observations, this company is much better organized and run than the last company I worked for where everyone and their brother held some kind of degree in Business. This is all anecdata, of course.]
Grr.
Can you tell this is a topic that irritates me?
Of course, I must say, most of the people I've encountered who've used that line about English degrees either
A.) Had a degree in Business (or something related); or
B.) Had never (willingly) set foot in an English classroom outside of high school
Read into that what you will.
Your degree is what you make of it. If you don't know how to market yourself, present your skills, and make your degree work for you, you're not going to get anywhere, regardless of what your degree is in.
Ugh. It's time for lunch. And to post this design doc.
Steamy sex courses fire GOP's ire (Via Feministing.)
Upset House Republicans are mounting a campaign to purge Georgia's higher education system of professors with an expertise in racy sexuality topics as the state grapples with a $2.2 billion shortfall.
State Rep. Charlice Byrd, R-Woodstock, took the House well on Friday to announce a "grassroots" effort to oust professors with expertise in subjects like male prostitution, oral sex and "queer theory."
"This is not considered higher education," Byrd said. "If legislators are going to dole out the dollars, we should have a say-so in where they go."
Byrd and her supporters, including state Rep. Calvin Hill, R-Canton, said they will team with the Christian Coalition and other religious groups to pressure fellow lawmakers and the University System Board of Regents to eliminate the jobs.
"Our job is to educate our people in sciences, business, math," said Hill, a vice chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. He said professors aren't going to meet those needs "by teaching a class in queer theory."
Because how we approach issues from sex and sexuality, to gender, gender roles, sexual violence, and workplace discrimination have no impact whatsoever on the society of our states, our country or our world. Nope. None at all. Don't need to hear about it. Sure don't need to learn about.
Georgia State spokeswoman Andrea Jones called the critics' argument "flawed."
"Teaching courses in criminal justice, for example, does not mean that our students are being prepared to become criminals. Quite the opposite," said Jones. "Legitimate research and teaching are central to the development of relevant and effective policy."
Indubitably.
They don't get it.
Higher education is not just a matter of: here are the facts, memorize them and go out and use them. That's what primary school is for. To create automatons.
Higher education, hopefully (I'm painting with an idealist brush, I realize), teaches people to think about their thinking. To analyze. To solve problems. Identify solutions. Bridge gaps. To, I hope, think outside of the fucking box and not be so damned narrow minded.
...Wait. Maybe they do get it.
No wonder they want it ousted.
I think I might consider renouncing Georgia as my state of origin...
~*~
There's a post about the economy and what it means for women's studies over at Feministing, as well.
Basically: Classes deemed "nebulous" or ones that don't have a blatantly "functional" skill set (re: Ones that don't train you for a very specific field) are always the first to go.
Speaking as a Liberal Arts major, that really burns me.
Of course one of the commenters over there had to spout the "these degrees--philosophy, religious studies, english--won't get you a job."
And, of course, the English major in me takes serious umbrage with that.
Honestly.
I heard this shit for years when I was going through school. And you know? I'm fucking tired of that assumption.
It's extremely problematic for the simple fact that: There is no one degree that will "get you a job."
Employers, for all intents and purposes, (unless applying for a very specific job--say chemist, doctor, etc), are going to look at your resume and see that you have a degree. That you had the wherewithal and the stubbornness to sit through college classes and get that degree. Then they're going to look at your experience.
Frankly, knowing how to communicate clearly in spoken and written words is a prime skill. If you can't do that? Well, good luck to you.
And, my bias may be showing, but English teaches that skill and more. You've got to be able to make arguments and provide evidence for them. You've got to be able to do proper research and integrate it into your work. You have to be able to think critically. You have to get outside the box.
Hm. All things that I'm doing in my job right now.
A job in an office where, I can say with absolute truth, a majority of people hold liberal arts degrees (including our President and CEO who has a degree in...*gasp* English. From Sewanee. He also used to work in Hollywood. Eep. Blasphemy. Our lead writer and creative director has the same credentials: English Degree, Hollywood.)
[And from my observations, this company is much better organized and run than the last company I worked for where everyone and their brother held some kind of degree in Business. This is all anecdata, of course.]
Grr.
Can you tell this is a topic that irritates me?
Of course, I must say, most of the people I've encountered who've used that line about English degrees either
A.) Had a degree in Business (or something related); or
B.) Had never (willingly) set foot in an English classroom outside of high school
Read into that what you will.
Your degree is what you make of it. If you don't know how to market yourself, present your skills, and make your degree work for you, you're not going to get anywhere, regardless of what your degree is in.
Ugh. It's time for lunch. And to post this design doc.