{"id":2135005,"date":"2023-12-28T03:46:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T08:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bates-college-faculty-subjected-to-toxic-dei-struggle-sessions-by-administrators\/"},"modified":"2023-12-28T03:51:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T08:51:00","slug":"bates-college-faculty-subjected-to-toxic-dei-struggle-sessions-by-administrators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bates-college-faculty-subjected-to-toxic-dei-struggle-sessions-by-administrators\/","title":{"rendered":"Bates College faculty endure &#8216;toxic&#8217; DEI sessions by administrators"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbates-college-faculty-subjected-to-toxic-dei-struggle-sessions-by-administrators%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2135005&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2>Restrictive Speech Codes \u2064and the\u200d Suppression of Free Speech on College \u200dCampuses<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>College students attending universities with restrictive speech codes are used to walking on eggshells and keeping their heads down on\u2064 campus out of \u200cfear of committing social suicide or experiencing \u200dviolence. In the disordered world of contemporary higher\u200b education, Jewish students receive limited, \u200cif any, support from school administrators amid explicit calls for violence \u2063against them, while other \u200cstudents face punishment for banal infractions like rolling a \u2064&#8221;free speech ball&#8221; \u200daround campus.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But if you are shocked at how students are subject to hypocritical double standards and \u2062draconian speech codes, what goes on behind the closed doors of faculty lounges and administrative \u2064offices will surely horrify you. Militant students can\u2062 restrict the speech of other students, but often, faculty\u200b find themselves subjected to even stricter rules that embolden this militancy in the first place.<\/p>\n<h3>The Case of Bates College<\/h3>\n<p>This has proven true at Bates\u200d College,\u200c my\u2062 alma mater, ranked 213 out of 250\u2064 schools nationwide \u200bfor free speech.\u200c Emails obtained from several former Bates\u200c College professors show \u200bjust how limited faculty\u2062 freedoms are. In\u2064 the past, faculty\u200b were reported to the Office \u2064of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for questioning students&#8217; assertions in \u200cclass or\u2062 asking students to think more critically. The environment created by this policy has left some professors fearful that a student will use \u2064a simple \u2062classroom\u2063 lecture or assignment to terminate their jobs.<\/p>\n<p>In the \u2062wake\u2063 of Bates&#8217; latest round of \u2063antisemitic controversy \u2014\u200b where a \u2063swastika was drawn in a dormitory bathroom amid a\u2063 bevy of pro-Hamas activity at Bates \u2014 I reached out to several former and current professors at Bates to\u200b see if this DEI reporting \u200csystem was\u2063 still in place.\u200d After communicating with members of \u2064Bates faculty, staff, and \u2062former students, it&#8217;s clear that not\u200b only\u2064 is the DEI reporting\u200c system\u2062 still in operation,\u2062 but it has been used to intimidate faculty into\u2062 maintaining leftist orthodoxy\u200c in their classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>This \u2062policy bared its teeth in the firing of Keith Taylor, a lecturer in Bates&#8217; geology department. Taylor was fired earlier this year for\u200b asking a student to provide examples defending their assertion that Bates College was a bastion of white supremacy. Taylor was\u2063 browbeaten by Dean of Faculty Malcolm Hill and \u2064ordered to apologize to his class for his supposed racial insensitivity, \u2062but\u2063 instead, he denounced the\u200b school. One\u2064 student recorded the\u200c exchange and shared it with me at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor provided several emails from a \u2063fellow professor, Loring Danforth, who feared for his termination. Danforth expressed fear at Taylor&#8217;s firing, saying he felt &#8220;trapped in an alternate reality&#8221; due to his fear of being targeted by students for \u2063speaking on race, a topic he studied, wrote, and lectured on for several decades at Bates and other institutions.<\/p>\n<p>This nightmarish &#8220;alternate reality&#8221; soon became \u2063real for Danforth. A classroom discussion quickly became a struggle session after a student asserted Bates College was on stolen \u2062Penobscot land. Danforth, being a seasoned teacher, asked the student to \u2063explain what she meant. &#8220;Do you mean \u200dlegally? Technically? Morally? \u200cHistorically? Traditionally?&#8221; \u200bDanforth asked. \u200cIn\u200d an attempt to further discussion, he followed up with the question: &#8220;Do \u2063Native Americans own the \u2063land your \u200bparents&#8217; house\u200c in Connecticut is on,\u2064 or do your parents own \u2063it?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But instead of engaging in the \u200ddiscussion or thinking critically about her\u200b assertion,\u200d the student reported Danforth \u200bto the DEI \u200coffice \u2063for\u200c opposing Native American land claims. That led to another reprimand by the DEI office\u2062 and the dean of \u200dfaculty. Ironically, \u2064Danforth \u2062is a\u200d proud supporter of Native Americans, \u2063as was shown in his email with Keith Taylor; \u2062&#8221;I&#8217;d \u200bargue it&#8217;s \u2062my right to oppose them [Native American land claims]. \u200bBut in fact I support them.&#8221; Professor Danforth refused \u2062to provide comment.<\/p>\n<p>That same email between Taylor and Danforth described an incident over text where Dean of Faculty\u200c Malcolm Hill reprimanded \u200cDanforth for supposedly \u200bperpetuating racism on campus. That was after Danforth was again reported to\u2064 the DEI office for\u200c stating \u200bthat &#8220;race\u2062 was a social construction&#8221; to the\u200c offense of a black staff member.\u200c As a result, Danforth, who correctly pointed out\u2063 that the social construction of \u200crace\u200c is &#8220;a fundamental \u200bconcept and\u2063 expression&#8221; in anthropology, \u200dwas\u200b again\u2063 reprimanded by Hill. \u200bOnly after \u200cBates President Clayton\u2064 Spencer stepped in did Hill back down and apologize\u200d to Danforth.<\/p>\n<p>Over\u2062 a series of emails and text messages, several professors discussed \u2063potential punishments\u200d for DEI infractions, including being\u200b forced to\u200c &#8220;absorb literature about racism&#8221; or even be subjected\u2064 to\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-here-are-the-10-worst-colleges-for-free-speech\/\" title=\"Report: Here Are The 10 Worst Colleges For Free Speech\">mandatory sensitivity training<\/a>, which, if refused, \u2063could lead to further punishment.<\/p>\n<p>Bates&#8217;s DEI reporting system has significantly cowed professors in the liberal arts. Several students\u200c I interviewed believe\u2063 free speech at Bates was already nonexistent but think professors are largely responsible for allowing this toxic \u2062culture to take its\u2064 current form.<\/p>\n<p>One such student, a 2018 Bates graduate,\u2064 James Erwin, \u2064recalled portions of emails\u2064 that appeared scripted when \u2063professors corresponded with students about &#8220;sensitive&#8221; topics. &#8220;After Trump was \u200celected \u2064in\u2063 2016, there were demonstrations around campus,&#8221; \u200cErwin explained. &#8220;All the faculty emails for my classes and \u200ccampus resources contained the same &#8216;I understand and support \u200dyou,&#8217; \u2064directed towards students who wanted to skip class to protest the\u2062 election.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Erwin also suggested professors had only themselves to blame for the campus climate,\u200b saying, &#8220;Many Bates professors can&#8217;t speak up \u2064because this is the\u2062 bed they made &#8230; they teach this \u2062performative\u2064 emotional \u200dfragility in class, so, of course, they can&#8217;t object to it\u200c now that the outrage is directed at them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>An email I have had \u200dsince my own time at Bates proves James correct. One economics professor expressed doubts that teachers at Bates could \u200cadequately instruct \u2062students, only to refuse to elaborate on his comments. Economics professor Paul Shea said, \u2064&#8221;Things like this make me fear for the future of Bates. More and more departments seem comfortable infusing their curricula with specific forms of\u200d activism and ideology and \u2064those that do not are met with hostility\u2064 or, in some cases, a loss of resources. It is hard for me to see how \u200dthis fits with the mission of the \u200ccollege.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Shea refused to comment\u200d when asked to elaborate on the &#8220;hostility&#8221; or &#8220;loss of resources&#8221; and departures from the economics department.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor&#8217;s emails \u2064and the \u2064various \u200cprofessors with whom I spoke expressed the same feeling: Bates no longer resembles an academic institution committed to free speech. T. \u200cGlen Lawson, who taught in\u200b the Bates Chemistry Department for over\u2064 30 years and is now retired, said, &#8220;It is true that\u2063 the [Bates] environment is toxic and\u2062 freedom of \u200bexpression and academic\u200b freedom have both been suppressed in\u200b the past few years, so I was happy to leave. I don&#8217;t\u200c really\u2063 care\u2064 about what goes on there now.&#8221; Jenna\u2062 Berens, a 2023 \u200cgraduate of\u200b Bates, agreed. &#8220;The culture is definitely toxic in the context of the\u200b classroom. \u200bI can imagine that culture\u200c extends to\u2063 the faculty, too.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Bates&#8217;s DEI system has successfully made almost every professor at the college terrified of his or her own \u2064students. With fees to attend Bates set at over $81,000 for the 2023-2024\u200d academic year, parents and students are footing the bill for DEI enforcers alongside the collaborating programs within the college that act as speech police and reporting systems.<\/p>\n<p>It is obvious \u200dthat antisemitic students control Harvard University&#8217;s campus, and they have the freedom to spew \u200ctheir poison with no accountability from the administration. It took\u2062 a congressional hearing, alums withdrawing millions of \u200cdollars, and leading companies pledging not to \u200chire Harvard graduates for the school even to notice its antisemitism problem. Legacy institutions\u2063 with larger budgets often overshadow Bates. However, the toxic, illiberal behavior that has consumed Bates \u200bis a glimpse of higher education&#8217;s future.\u200c Across the country, there \u200bare thousands of smaller colleges like Bates, where free speech has been \u200ddestroyed and its defenders driven underground.<\/p>\n<p>Bates \u2063and its faculty preach the college&#8217;s commitment to academic excellence, egalitarianism, and freedom. Those <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-had-better-pass-federal-pro-life-laws-if-they-ever-want-to-be-elected-again\/\" title=\"Republicans Had Better Pass Federal Pro-Life Laws If They Ever Want To Be Elected Again\">words ring hollow<\/a> when the academics tasked with passing those values on cannot defend them.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the negative consequences\u2063 of restrictive \u2062speech\u2063 codes on classroom discussions \u2062and \u2063the culture of fear and self-censorship among faculty?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  R&#8217;s \u2064case is just one example of\u2063 the chilling \u200ceffect that restrictive speech codes have on the free exchange of ideas on college campuses.\u200b The very purpose of\u2064 a \u200duniversity\u2063 is to foster \u2064critical thinking, intellectual debate, \u200band the pursuit of knowledge. However, when speech\u2064 is heavily regulated\u200d and certain viewpoints\u200b are \u200cdeemed unacceptable, this purpose is undermined.<\/p>\n<p>Restrictive speech codes create an environment where \u200bstudents\u200c and faculty are constantly \u2063fearful of expressing their true opinions. They are \u200dforced to self-censor \u2062and conform to \u200bthe prevailing orthodoxy, lest they face punishment or social stigma.\u2064 This not only stifles creativity and\u2062 intellectual growth,\u2063 but it also inhibits the development\u2063 of essential skills such as persuasion, tolerance, \u2063and \u2064open-mindedness.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of Bates College, the negative\u200c consequences of restrictive speech codes are evident. Faculty members have reported being reported to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for challenging\u2062 students&#8217;\u2064 assertions\u2063 or encouraging critical thinking. This not only has a chilling effect on classroom discussions but also creates a culture of fear\u2063 and self-censorship among the faculty.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063firing of Keith Taylor, a geology lecturer, exemplifies\u200b the absurdity\u2063 and unfairness of the enforcement\u2064 of speech\u2064 codes. Taylor \u2064was dismissed for asking a student to provide \u2062evidence to support \u200bher claim that Bates College\u2063 was a bastion of white supremacy. Instead of \u2062engaging in a thoughtful \u200bdiscussion, the student reported him to\u200c the \u200bDEI \u2063office, leading to his termination. \u200dThis incident highlights how speech \u2062codes can be\u2063 used as\u200d a tool to \u200bpunish\u2062 and silence those who\u200d dare\u2063 to \u200bquestion or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gods-plan-includes-abortion-shout-your-abortion-posts-billboards-across-southern-states\/\" title=\"'God Supports Abortion': Shout Your Abortion Billboards in Southern States\">challenge prevailing narratives<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the case of Loring \u200dDanforth, a \u200cprofessor who \u2063feared for his termination after a classroom discussion on Native\u2064 American land claims, demonstrates the degree to which\u2062 faculty members are subjected to even stricter regulations.\u2063 Danforth\u200d was reported to the DEI office simply for asking a student to clarify her\u200d statement, and he faced reprimands from both the DEI office and the dean of faculty. This incident illustrates how speech codes not only limit academic freedom but also undermine the pursuit of knowledge and intellectual inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b impact of restrictive speech codes extends beyond the \u200dfaculty and into the student body. \u200dStudents \u200bat Bates College have expressed their belief that free speech is nonexistent on \u200ccampus and have criticized professors for\u200d creating \u200ba culture of \u2062emotional fragility and intolerance. This\u200d suggests that the implementation\u200d and \u200denforcement of speech codes have contributed to a toxic atmosphere\u200b that\u2064 stifles dissenting\u2064 opinions and hinders intellectual growth.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, restrictive speech codes on college campuses are a threat\u2063 to free speech and the pursuit of knowledge. They create\u2063 an \u200denvironment of fear,\u200b self-censorship, and conformity, \u2064where intellectual debate and critical thinking are \u2063suppressed. \u2063The case\u200b of \u2063Bates College serves as a\u2063 cautionary\u200d tale of the detrimental\u200b effects of such codes on both\u2064 faculty and \u200dstudents. It \u200cis crucial for universities to uphold the principles of free speech and academic freedom, as they are\u2062 essential for the healthy functioning of higher education\u200d institutions and \u2062the development of well-rounded individuals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>College students at universities with strict speech codes are accustomed to tiptoeing and staying quiet on campus, fearing social isolation or even violence. In today&#8217;s chaotic higher education landscape, Jewish students often lack support from administrators, despite explicit calls for violence against them<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2622,"featured_media":2135006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2135005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2135005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2622"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2135005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2135005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2135006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2135005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2135005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2135005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}