Academic freedom redux

Re: Prof Showed ‘ Violent Porn’: UBC Teacher Has Skeletons In Own Classroom, Christie Blatchford, Nov. 25

As a university professor, I take issue with the attempt of Dr. Angela Redish, vicepresident, academic, at the University of British Columbia to defend and to rationalize the classroom behaviour of Prof. Mary Bryson under the guise of “academic freedom” ( Defending Academic Freedom, letter, Nov. 29). This behaviour i ncluded having a guest speaker strip down to a dildo, conducting personal queries of students in the class regarding their s exual orientation, and showing pornographic movies. Whether these events occurred yesterday or, as in this case, 25 years ago, is not the point. Neither is that the professor in question is “an internationally recognized scholar.”

All educators have a responsibility to exercise the near- total control they have over their students judiciously and to ensure that certain lines are not crossed. What students, and professors, do on their own time in their private lives is not within the purview of either the university or faculty. Delving i nto these areas under the guise of “academic freedom” distorts the concept and is fraught with risks.

Both Prof. Bryson and Dr. Redish appear to confuse “teaching” with “professing.” In teaching, instructors present materials and scenarios ( generally not including pornographic movies) whereby students can develop their critical thinking skills and learn about the world around them, and their role in it. When professors “profess,” they attempt to impose their world views and orientations upon students. Whether students shave their legs or not ( another apparent feature of Prof. Bryson’s seminar) is not part of the teaching equation. Nor, as Dr. Redish suggests, does this behaviour fall within the purview of engaging in “complex social issues.” Academic freedom is a cornerstone of the university and its professors; however, so is academic responsibility.