Need help with letter of complaint to college school board

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[momfirst]

**I think some of the issues I mentioned don't specifically map out support of or opposition to a political party, so if I can word it correctly, they might be more impactful. Thanks for your help! BTW, I'm not a teen straight out of high school, I'm a 32 year old mother that's working and attending college hoping to become a nurse - I see the world slightly differently than most students attending college.***

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[biblewonk]

Colleges stink, quit the college. It's the only thing that hurts them or that they understand.

It makes me sick they way the suck money out of young people promising to make them wise and wealthy.

[KellyAdmirer]

I think you might want to state up-front what the class was supposed to be about, according to the curriculum, and contrast that directly with what the professor did.

I would minimize the stuff about the professor coming to class 5-minutes early with the videos, I am pretty sure that other professors will not take that the right way.

I think that, unless this is a "contemporary politics" class or something along those lines, that showing moveon.org ads during class is your best selling point and should be emphasized. Showing the ad is not so bad if other, contrasting ads are shown - you should make it clearer that only those ads were shown.

Good luck with this, you have a good case, but academics circle the wagons in this kind of situation.

[AppyPappy]

Use words like "intimidated" and "forcing beliefs" and uncomfortable". Those are words that liberals like.

[The Bat Lady]

WOW, what a great letter.

Too bad more students don't complain about this happening. More of this stuff means less learning.

But then isn't that their goal.... less learning for the sheeple?

BEST luck, I can't think of any changes to improve.

[momfirst]

Thank you! I know I'd find good input here...

[momfirst]

Ahhh - the language. Thanks! In my notes now...

[narby]

Trim it a bit, and stick with the issues. The fact that the prof was a jerk and used 20 minutes in a class for politics which made the students rushed in their presentations is irrelevant. Do bring up the fact that he used a full 20 minutes of class for politics, but don't whine that it inconvienced anyone, because that's just emotional baggage and off the subject.

Complement the prof on something to make it appear a balanced critique. Perhaps say "he presented this sociology issue well, but the daily politicing got in the way".

And perhaps don't use the word "propaganda". That's a bit to antagonistic, and liable to get your letter dismissed as being of in the far fringes of the right. You can assume that the people you send the letter to will agree with the prof about Bush, so you have to get him on the facts.

Hope that wasn't to critical for you. Just trying to help you really stick it to them. My daughter is in the same boat in college now, and I'm trying to help her fight the same fight.

[robertpaulsen]

Conclude with something about, "As a future alumnus, I anticipate your requests for financial donations. I would be more inclined to contribute to an institute of higher learning which values an equal and fair presentation of social and political issues ... yada yada."

That might help to get their attention.

[AQGeiger]

In your fourth point, take out the part about the videos and skip straight to what happened after he got to the class. That way there's not too much to read before getting to the thrust of that paragraph. I've got an example at the bottom of this post.

Don't expect much better from your professors in the future. In my senior year of college, I actually had a professor threaten me that, unless I stopped being outspoken about my conservative values in the face of the BS that others were attempting to force down my throat, I would have trouble finding professors who would help me get into graduate school. I fantasize about being able to tell her that I've gotten into medical school, and I didn't need to kiss any liberal rear-end to get there.


4. During our final class, our assignments were to give a 3-4 minute presentation. Despite the time crunch involved in having every student give a presentation, he used the first 20 minutes of class to do several things. He recited a mock "Pledge of Allegiance" that slammed corporate America and apologized for not having us repeat this from the start of term. He played a video from MoveOn.org that produced a negative ad against the Bush administration. Then he continued reading statistics he presumably got off the show Dateline the evening before regarding the war in Iraq. I also watched the Dateline episode and was familiar with the statistics he was reciting, only I noticed he omitted the statistics showing anything positive about U.S. occupation and rebuilding of the nation or anything positive about the ousting of Saddam Hussein. He focused purely on the statistics he thought proved that the war was wrong. This all took 20 minutes of class time. Subsequently, we were unable to get through all the presentations before class was over. Some students were required to stay late, one of whom I know had another final exam in her next class 10 minutes later. As I left on time, I am unsure what happened with that student or the others.

[bearkat]

Fantastic letter. I went back to college at 26 and graduated when I was 30. It's a tough road, but boy was it worth it. I am happy to report that 3 years after receiving my degree, I am earning TWICE what I was before. You HAVE TO tough it out... it's worth it.

I agree with APPY PAPPY. You could also include the "lack of diversity" and how the class was not "inclusive". They can't argue with their own vocabulary : )

I had a History professor who was a far left liberal and who was a HUGE feminist on top of everything. I went to the Chair of her department and complained. It didn't do anything really, but it did make me feel better. I actually began to feel sorry for her and told her so on the last day of class... I felt fantastic.

More power to you... when you walk across that stage with your degree in hand, you will feel on top of the world. It's the best gift you could EVER give yourself. And trust me, your kids will notice : )

[Sunshine Sister]

Great letter. Good luck.

[Hodar]

Colleges stink, quit the college. It's the only thing that hurts them or that they understand. It makes me sick they way the suck money out of young people promising to make them wise and wealthy.

That is perhaps the worst piece of advice I have ever hear. IF people followed your advice, the USA would not sink, we would plunge to the depths of the other 3rd world countries. The USA doesn't excell because of blue collar workers. You can find them in every country on the face of the earth. Mexico, China, India, Ireland, Russia, Cuba ... you name it; there is no shortage of Blue Collar workers.

The White Collar workers are the engine that keeps America strong. Doctors, Nurses, Technicians, Engineers, Software programmers, Physists, Aeronautical Engineers, NASA, and even lawyers are necessary.

Telling someone to drop their dream, to forfeit a relatively comfortable salary, a stable income in a field that helps mankind is simply cutting off your nose, to spite your face.

That said, colleges are festering sewers of liberalism. Why? Because college instructors are the 'favored few', who cannot be fired, have little or no supervision, have little responsiblity for what they do. I think the letter was very well written, however I must also be fair to warn the author "You will not change a thing, you will only incur the wrath of the 'elite' for daring to question their methods". Personally, my revenge was quite different. I endured the liberal rantings (in the college of engineering, we only had to endure this noise with the pre-requisite 'Humanities' and 'Social Sciences' cirriculm). When you graduate, and the Alumni goon squad asks for donations, you can respond as I did "I endured what I had to, in order to obtain my degee; I now have my degree. Cease and desist all contact with me". They will never see another penny of my hard earned money, and when I feel the need to give to charity, there is always the University of Texas (NOT my alma matter).

[Rabid Dog]

Great letter! Trim it as much as you can so your message gets out. I'd even shorten and bold the main sentence in each paragraph - make it like bullet points jumping out at them.

I'd also send a version of it to your local paper. But then, I'm not very subtle.

[marinamuffy]

Great letter.

I wish I had the guts to do something like this. I also attend a Community College and had a horrible experience with a "history" teacher. I could only stand it for 2 weeks and then had to drop the class. It was "Bush is evil" this and "Halliburton, Hallibuton" that until finally I couldn't take it after he announced that people become Republicans because they are racist! I've ended up taking all math courses for my electives to minimize the risk of running into this again. I hate math!!!!

I am also a bit older than the average student so I too worry about them falling for this stuff (although most seem apathetic enough that they probably don't care either way).

Anyway, best of luck to you!

Stephanie

[Born Conservative]

Hang in there; nursing profs USUALLY don't mix politics with their lectures and "clinicals". You are more likely to encounter that in the humanities courses.

[Publius6961]

Clearly, what is described is a hostile learning environment, and implied intimidation preempting any differing views. Sounds like a civil rights violation and discrimination to me.

[OrioleFan]

If there are others in the class that had the same complaints or who can back you up, get them lined up in case you have to go before the board. Also use the word "feelings".

[ContemptofCourt]

I will offer some constructive criticism, and if I get slammed, so be it....

In its current state, the article comes off whiny. This is why: you state that your prof violated a particular rule, but don't offer specific evidence of the violation. Yes, you throw in sprinklings of evidence, but you need to take the language of the rule and put it side by side with that evidence (and cut out the extaneous stuff).

For instance, the fact that he pontificated on the day of your final and held people over is irrelevant to your overall message, and it detracts from the message. Also, you need to conceed that some of his rantings may have been within the bounds of the rule (personal opinion), yet irrelevant to the class and objectionable.

I guess my point is that you need to go one way or the other....either complain that he was too liberal, or complain that he violated a rule...to say that he violated a rule because he was too liberal detracts from the message.