FIRE Op-Ed in 'New York Post' on University of Minnesota Victory

Today's issue of the New York Post features an op-ed by FIRE's Adam Kissel, in which he discusses the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities' plan to impose a political litmus test on future teachers enrolled in its College of Education and Human Development.

The plan would have redesigned the curriculum to enforce a narrow view of "cultural competence" and sought to require each student in the program to accept theories of "white privilege, hegemonic masculinity, heteronormativity, and internalized oppression." Adam explains in his article:

The task group also wants teachers to blame themselves. This isn't about admitting that they need to get better at teaching their subjects. In one exercise, future teachers are to reveal a "pervasive stereotype" they once held about an identity group (such as immigrants or senior citizens) and argue in a personal essay that their stereotype has been "challenged" because of experiences with that group.

You see, the teachers need to rid themselves of their oppressive ideologies in order to teach math, grammar and science well.

After FIRE wrote University of Minnesota President Robert H. Bruininks to object to these plans, General Counsel Mark B. Rotenberg responded, promising that "[n]o University policy or practice ever will mandate any particular beliefs, or screen out people with 'wrong beliefs' from the University." FIRE will continue to monitor the school's actions and those of other schools that attempt to force strict ideologies on their students and faculty.

You can read Adam's entire op-ed online at the New York Post.