Dartmouth Film Students Get A Lesson In Political Posturing
What happened today in Associate Professor Paul D. Young’s class on Film History should never have happened—ever. Multiple sources in the class, entitled FS22.02: Film History III (1960–1990), wrote to yours truly describing the use of significant class time for political campaigning and presentations from those outside of class, with the tacit approval of the professor.
Prof. Young, the chair of the Film and Media studies department, permitted approximately 10 minutes of his class time in BVAC 001 during the 2A period today to be used by members of the ‘New Hampshire Youth Movement’ [website] to posture on clearly partisan issues. Prof Young, according to a student, “made an announcement after the class began, about a few people coming to talk to the class about turning up to vote.” According to students in the class, a college aged man and woman spoke to them, and handed out the following card:
“If you care about these issues,” the students were told, “sign up for this and vote.” Much of the presentation emphasised the essential nature of the Green New Deal, a government entitlement programme supported solely by members of a certain ‘progressive’-leaning section of the Democratic Party such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren. Furthermore, the programme of social justice mentioned on the card is representative of the conventional liberal talking points. The Sunrise Organisation, listed on the card, has collaborated frequently with Democratic Congresswoman Ms. Ocasio-Cortez in the past to protest perceived injustice.
A “primary candidate guide” consisting of endorsements of NH Democrats was circulated. Two copies were handed out to students as well. We have requested a copy of this document for review from the organisation, but despite multiple promises made, they have not shared this document with us.
Multiple students mentioned to yours truly that they felt badgered and pressured to sign the form above and provide personal details for political campaigning purposes. A ’21 remarked:
“it felt inappropriate for a professor to allow something so partisan to be inserted during class time. If they had solicited support in Novack or anywhere outside the classroom, that would have been absolutely fine, but to do it during class and inside a classroom with faculty support is completely out of sorts and over the line.”
I concur with the student’s expression of concern. The classroom is not a political space — at least not overtly so. It does not matter whether the causes being advocated for are conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat. What gives Paul Young the right to do what he did today? A Dartmouth professor used class time to permit partisan politics to play out in the classroom. What message does this send to students? This was extremely unethical and unprofessional of Prof. Paul Young, who should have known much better, especially considering that he is the chair of an academic department. This is completely unacceptable, and Prof Young’s conduct must be called into question at the highest levels by the College administration.
Addendum: A ’21 pointed out that the NH Youth Movement is affiliated with the Action Network, an organisation “dedicated to building online power for the progressive movement.”
Addendum: It was not only Prof Young’s class that received these visits. Most professors, it seems, had the good sense to make sure that the group was politely told that they weren’t welcome in the classroom.
Prof Young e-mailed his students this via Canvas:
There can only be two possible scenarios, hypothetically speaking. The first is that Prof Young possibly knew exactly what was happening and condoned it, but wrote this apology to cover himself in case his ethics in the classroom were ever questioned, giving him the cover of plausible deniability. The second is that Prof Young was possibly truly blindsided at first, but unlike other faculty members — including Prof Mukul Sharma of EARS who proceeded to kindly show the NH Youth Movement members the doors within the initial two minutes of their spiel after he realised what was happening — he possibly and allegedly proceeded to remain blindsided, which only means one thing: he potentially lacks the critical thinking skills needed to make essential judgement calls like this one. What should happen of Prof Young?
