College Student Cites Inappropriate Actions of Liberal Profs in Class
by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
January 7, 2004
(AgapePress) - Students at one Colorado college are attempting to expose what they call "overbearing liberalism" on their campus. One of those students has even filed a formal complaint against one of his professors over her censorship of conservatives.When Colorado's State Assembly convenes on Thursday, Republican lawmakers are expected to introduce the nation's first legislation aimed at combating political bias at state institutions of higher learning. George Culpepper, a senior at Metro State College of Denver, should be glad to hear that. He and other conservative students at the school are protesting what they see as "left-wing propaganda" on their campus.
Culpepper, who is chairman of the Auraria College Republicans, cites several examples to bolster his argument. He says during an introductory political science class focusing on the differences between conservatism and liberalism, his professor proudly declared that he is a liberal and knows next to nothing about the conservative movement.
"He spent maybe two days on conservatism and how it transpired throughout the years, and then spent about two weeks on liberalism," the senior explains. "And throughout the whole course, he'd turn and bash conservatives and how we're wrong. Not once did he relate to how liberalism is not always the 'right path,' so to speak."
Michael Moore Movie
Culpepper believes that history, political science, English, and even math instructors at Metro State are bent on pushing their political ideologies, rather than simply teaching. For example, he says students in one class were forced to watch Bowling for Columbine, an anti-gun movie by controversial Hollywood filmmaker Michael Moore. According to Culpepper, students were told they would fail the class if they did not view the film.
"A student did ask to watch another tape because he didn't believe in Michael Moore and how he continually bashes the conservative movement," Culpepper says. "The teacher declined and [told the student if he] didn't watch Bowling for Columbine, he would 'fail the entire class' -- and that's completely inappropriate." He adds that the professor provided no opposing viewpoint to counter Moore's left-wing slant.
Political Science Association
In another example, a different Metro State professor wants members of the College Republicans kicked out of the school's non-partisan Political Science Association. Culpepper has brought a formal complaint against Dr. Oneida Meranto, a tenured political science professor who teaches Native American studies and Latin American politics and acts as an advisor to the Political Science Association.
Culpepper says he had to drop Meranto's Latin American politics class because of her animosity towards him and other conservatives. He explains that many members of College Republicans also participate in the Political Science Association.
"About two months ago, she explicitly told us that if College Republicans continue to work with the Independence Institute [a conservative think tank in nearby Golden, Colorado], then the College Republicans need to withdraw from the Political Science Association," he says. Meranto had expressed concerns that the Institute was trying to get liberal professors at Metro State College fired.
According to Culpepper, Professor Meranto has said in her classroom that "conservatives are just not open or curious people."
In a December 19 letter to Metro State College interim president Dr. Raymond Kieft, the College Republicans chairman requested a formal investigation into Dr. Meranto's comments about his class performance that were recently published by the Denver Post. Among other things, Culpepper claims the instructor "intentionally and falsely" represented his academic performance -- and violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act in the process.
