Earlier this week in one of my classes, after the period begun, we all found our seats and got ready for a normal class. However, our professor told us that he wanted to talk about something that was rather “off-topic,” but that he found important.
Unbeknownst to many of us in the class, the president of the College of Charleston had sent out an email to all of the professors, asking them to use discretion and, while this word wasn’t used specifically, censor the things they were teaching in class. In light of the recent emotionally tumultuous presidential election, some community members were concerned with students feeling safe and protected in the classroom environment, and as a result teachers have essentially been asked to avoid any “triggering” topics whatsoever.
The overwhelming response in my class discussion was that material taught should not be filtered for sensitivity, and instead students should simply have to deal with how they were feeling, “safe space” or not.
As a Political Science major, and a very liberal one at that, I find myself feeling conflicted. I believe it is important for liberal arts students to learn about all perspectives, whether they are politically correct or not. The sole reason we attend college is to learn about the world around us, and we can’t possibly do that if the material is designed to make us feel safe. As my professor put it, the world simply isn’t safe when we walk out of the classroom.
I was among the many who was profoundly upset with the results of the presidential election. While that’s a completely different topic, as a woman who has felt she was seen as less than her male peers, I understand why many people asked for places where they felt they could be themselves now that our president-elect is a man who is openly against many rights for women and minorities.
However, I believe the most destructive thing we can do, especially at a time like this, is to not talk about it. It is so vital that people, especially young college students, voice our opinions and understand other arguments. It is our professors’ responsibility, as educators, to give us as much information as they can, even if it might make us uncomfortable. Otherwise, there is absolutely no way we can make progress as students, and as a nation.
