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When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 4:26 pm
by Hungary Jack
I find this amazing.
Nationwide, colleges have been bolstering their programs in Arabic and the study of the Middle East, responding to growing student interest and awareness that Americans benefit from better understanding the region. At the College of the Siskiyous, in California, such a plan prompted a tirade of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments from a trustee, disturbing many on the campus. The trustee is refusing to apologize or resign.
The community college is planning to offer its first credit courses ever in both Arabic and Middle Eastern history. At a board meeting last month, the additional courses were included among the “consent” items for the board — non-controversial items that are typically approved collectively at the start of a board meeting, unless a board member objects.
Dorris Wood, the board member, objected last month, with the following comments: “When I look at this proposed class, my one thought is that we know all we need to know about the Arabs and Islam. They are our enemies: pure and simple.... They have declared war on the United States and are committed to our destruction.... When our schools fail the citizens of this great country by undermining the basic principles of democracy and support the sworn enemies we will fail completely.... Study history and understand how the Muslims have over the centuries invaded other countries and forced their religion by killing, plundering, and ravaging... Now they are invading Christian countries of the world from inside, one method being through our schools and universities.... If you want to give yourselves to Islam, you have the right and freedom to do that. But don’t give my country to them.”
The statement didn’t sway the board and the courses were approved, but the fact that a trustee would describe Arabs and Muslims in this way (without any distinctions among Arabs and Muslims, who are not monolithic in their views) stunned those at the meeting, and many who heard of the comments later.
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 4:46 pm
by heyzeus
That's an impressively bigoted tirade from a (soon to be former) higher ed administrator.
I would think that even if you views "Muslims and Arabs" as "the enemy," you would support education so that more Americans can study "their" policies, writings, history, language, etc and therefore be more prepared for future military engagement with "them." But then, logic obviously has no place in this discussion.
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 4:55 pm
by JCShutout
Sounds like my Dad actually, who used to understand that the loudest extreemists do not usually represent the majority of a group, and applies that logic to almost every other group out there, but who was just scared into intellectual suicide by 911, and now thinks that Christians are all victims, and Muslims are all violent terrorists. (Christians' violent history is negated in his mind because it hasn't happened recently... because extreemist Christians have only bombed abortion centers this decade...)
Oddly enough, he doesn't even consider himself Christian or religious. Just the religious right is so "patriotic" (Cultural and Economic Imperialism) Christians are better to him because they (extreemist Christians) want his stock to win.
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 4:58 pm
by Hungary Jack
Jesus,
Perhaps there is some solace that this person is not actually an administrator, but a board member. My guess is that because it's a CC, the board role is non-paying, though likely appointed.
I imagine that the uproar that hopefully ensued results in the resignation of this individual from the board. She really should disappear from public life for awhile, and learn to keep her opinions to herself.
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 10:37 pm
by ghostrunner
Does she realize the CIA is still seeking out people who can speak Arabic?
Aside from that, this is like preventing sex education in the hopes it will prevent sex.
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 10:46 pm
by sighyoung
ghostrunner wrote:Does she realize the CIA is still seeking out people who can speak Arabic?
Aside from that, this is like preventing sex education in the hopes it will prevent sex.
She hasn't the slightest idea why those courses were created--or just how much demand there is for them.
She was so ignorant and noxious that she ensured the other trustees would vote against her. Who would want to be seen to agree with that bilgewater?
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 10:53 pm
by sighyoung
By the way, meet the Board of Trustees at the College of the Siskiyous:
http://www.siskiyous.edu/board/
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 26 08, 11:43 pm
by GeddyWrox
And the bigot of the day award goes to...
Dorris Wood.
<crickets />
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 27 08, 4:51 am
by longhornbaseball
College of the Siskiyous
LOLz
Re: When "Higher Education" is an Oxymoron
Posted: February 27 08, 7:23 am
by Hungary Jack
pujolswrox wrote:And the bigot of the day award goes to...
Dorris Wood.
<crickets />
Can someone please adopt Dorris Wood as their screen name and post outrageous xenophobic rants for our entertainment? I have been feeling a bit dull lately...