When I was a college freshman, we all had to take a writing class. I forget what the name was. It was ENG 100 something-or-other. This was back in the day when a student’s knowledge of basic writing skills was taken for granted. And it was years before people began making up their own spelling rules and turning every word into something with a hyphen or an acronym. In retrospect, I realize that it was actually part of a plan by the school to milk as much money as possible out of our student loans instead of directing us into classes that might help our chosen careers. (Trade school kids, trade school.)
This English professor did not set himself to the task of teaching English or writing. This was in the 80s, and apartheid in South Africa was still making the news. No sane person I have ever met was or is in favor of the brutal system of apartheid. But for this professor, it was the only thing on his mind. He could have had us discuss and then write papers or essays on the evils of apartheid or possible solutions and ideas for the country as it moved forward. That would have made sense, given the nature of the class. Instead, he created this elaborate role-playing game in which each of us took the role of someone involved in the anti-apartheid movement. Nelson Mandela got snatched up pretty quickly, and still being a loyal Episcopalian, I chose Desmond Tutu. As you can see by my picture, there is an uncanny resemblance. So we followed this professor’s passion for about a class and a half before the whole game just sort of tipped over and died. And we never learned anything about apartheid or writing. I think the professor meant well. He just didn’t know what he was doing.
While I wholeheartedly agree that apartheid and racism are wrong, it is also no secret that colleges have been adding political elements and agendas to their classes. And unlike opposition to apartheid, some of those agendas are not greeted with national consensus.
Take, for example, Amy Wisner, a professor of marketing at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. National Review notes that Ms. Wisner had turned her professorship into a lucrative side gig for her favorite left-wing causes. Under the guidance and approval of the interim dean, Wisner managed to make each of her approximately 600 students cough $99 to join her left-wing political group named “The Rebellion Community.” In the syllabus, the Community is referred to as “a global social learning community with a private space dedicated to this course.” If we use the 600-student figure, that comes out to $59,400. Wisner then donated that money to leftist causes, which included Planned Parenthood. So, to recap, on top of tuition, students had to unwittingly make a $99 donation to organizations with philosophies and activities with which they might not agree.
Nice work if you can get it.
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National Review reported that once the students paid the $99 fee, the following message popped up on their screens:
Your membership fees are used to (1) pay for use of the technology and (2) pay guest speakers, educators, and facilitators. Your professor does not receive any financial compensation from your membership fees as that would be a conflict of interest.
Two students, Nathan Barbieri and Nolan Radomski, objected to being forced to pay to support organizations that were opposed to their personally held beliefs. And they have filed a lawsuit over the matter. In their suit, Barbieri and Nolan Radomski claim that Wisner designed the course to promote her political views. They also say that she controlled the group, and they point to a Facebook post linked to a page associated with it that read, “The Rebellion community is a safe place to coordinate our efforts to burn everything to the f***ing ground.”
A post by Wisner said that all of the membership fees would be donated to Planned Parenthood. But in another post, she states, “Proceeds of The Rebellion Community membership fees are donated to organizations fighting systemic oppression.”
What Planned Parenthood and activist organizations have to do with a business degree is beyond me. I think that we can accurately state that there is no discernible relation. But one can accurately assume that Wisner saw an opportunity to advance a personal agenda, recruit members from the ranks of her students, and raise money for her pet causes.
It goes without saying that, had a professor employed similar tactics to promote conservative views, not only would that professor have been fired on the spot, but the student body would be up in arms, occupying every available space and filling the air with chants. But if I were a betting man, my money would be on Wisner’s continued employment at MSU with a slap on the wrist. If that.
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