Collin County Community College District

[Sanders Kaufman]

The folks up in Collin County *want* to be stupid.

I recently talked to a very angry student from CCCCD who's
taking a Freshman philosophy class.

Several times over the last semester, the topic brushed upon
matters of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Each time, according to the student, the teacher had to stop the
conversation and tell the kids "I cannot allow any discussion of
eastern religions."

The student - a very precocious little fireball - tried to force
the issue. Each time, the teacher gave the same statement -
word for word.

Finally, the "teacher" pulled the student aside and asked that
the topic not come up again. When the student asked why, the
teacher said that it's the college, not he, that disallows
discussion of Eastern religions. He very much wants to discuss
it, but if he does, he'll lose his job.

This probably has something to do with how Plano became the
Heroin capital of Texas, even though it has one of the highest
per-capita incomes in the state.

[Mitchell Holman]

Post by Sanders Kaufman
The folks up in Collin County *want* to be stupid.
I recently talked to a very angry student from CCCCD who's
taking a Freshman philosophy class.
Several times over the last semester, the topic brushed upon
matters of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Each time, according to the student, the teacher had to stop the
conversation and tell the kids "I cannot allow any discussion of
eastern religions."
The student - a very precocious little fireball - tried to force
the issue.

This kid won't last long in the workforce by
"forcing" issues with her superiors.

Post by Sanders Kaufman
Each time, the teacher gave the same statement -
word for word.
Finally, the "teacher" pulled the student aside and asked that
the topic not come up again. When the student asked why, the
teacher said that it's the college, not he, that disallows
discussion of Eastern religions. He very much wants to discuss
it, but if he does, he'll lose his job.

If she wants to discuss Eastern religion why is
she doing it in a philosophy class? Is the curriculum
of Kant and Hegel and Hobbes and Nietzsche too much
for her?

[Sanders Kaufman]

Post by Mitchell Holman

Post by Sanders Kaufman
The student - a very precocious little fireball - tried to force
the issue.

This kid won't last long in the workforce by
"forcing" issues with her superiors.

You're right.
The lioness would make a lousy sheep.

Post by Mitchell Holman
If she wants to discuss Eastern religion why is
she doing it in a philosophy class? Is the curriculum
of Kant and Hegel and Hobbes and Nietzsche too much
for her?

A class on philosophy that excludes any religion would be like
an American history class that never mentions slavery - hollow.

[Mitchell Holman]

Post by Sanders Kaufman

Post by Mitchell Holman

Post by Sanders Kaufman
The student - a very precocious little fireball - tried to force
the issue.

This kid won't last long in the workforce by
"forcing" issues with her superiors.

You're right.
The lioness would make a lousy sheep.

Post by Mitchell Holman
If she wants to discuss Eastern religion why is
she doing it in a philosophy class? Is the curriculum
of Kant and Hegel and Hobbes and Nietzsche too much
for her?

A class on philosophy that excludes any religion would be like
an American history class that never mentions slavery - hollow.

Philosophy is one of those fields that can
be as broad or narrow as the instructor wants.
If he wants to exclude religion there is still
LOTS to work with;...........

[Sanders Kaufman]

Post by Mitchell Holman
Philosophy is one of those fields that can
be as broad or narrow as the instructor wants.

No, it's not. Philosophy is an art, not a science. You can't
just isolate one area and say you know the subject.

The hindus have a story about 5 blind men. Each touches a
different part of an elephant, and each comes away with a
different perspective.

But if you were to learn that philosophy from CCCCD, you would
believe that Aesop made that story up. You would be misinformed.

Post by Mitchell Holman
If he wants to exclude religion there is still
LOTS to work with;...........

Yeah - same goes for math and science and literature.

School is a place to knock down the walls of ignorance, not
build them.