UVA Microaggression case

[Anonymous]

Rather than defend themselves and the subject of micro-aggressions in court, UVA will definitely settle. No way do they want a public trial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would never waste my time attending a conference on "microaggression." WTF is with our hard-earned tax dollars getting abused with microaggressing spenders acting like entitled douches who think nothing of spending $100,000 studying "microaggression."

I think this type of perspective has value for a medical professional who will treat people of all races and creeds. Take off your reactionary hat and think a little harder. Bedside manner still matters.

If that were true and evaluated as part of medical training before going on to practice, at least 50% of the doctors I interact with in the DC area should have their medical licenses pulled stat.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have links to the Reddit discussions mentioned in this thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would never waste my time attending a conference on "microaggression." WTF is with our hard-earned tax dollars getting abused with microaggressing spenders acting like entitled douches who think nothing of spending $100,000 studying "microaggression."

I think this type of perspective has value for a medical professional who will treat people of all races and creeds. Take off your reactionary hat and think a little harder. Bedside manner still matters.

Totally agree with you. I have lots of physicians in my family. Not quibbling at all with the value in a stable, empathetic, knowledgeable, and respectful physician in the making.

What I'm saying is that the subject of microagression sounds like a whole lot of navel gazing. We are turning into a nation of snowflakes.

Look, I am a white man. I am not threatened by discussions about microaggressions, nor am I dismissive of people who wish to share their experiences that by definition I have never experienced. I am not sure why you are so threatened or annoyed by this, but it suggests to me that you lack some basic empathy. Which is fine for you — anyone can be an ass. But I want my doctors to have empathy, even if some of that has to be coached because they are blind to their biases. I would much rather err on that side and tolerate some oversensitivity than sustain the current environment where people inadvertently offend. Complaining about “snowflakes” is just intellectual laziness masking a lack of empathy and critical thinking ability.

but UVA is a public institution. They can’t punish students based on speech that they deem insufficiently “empathetic.” If there is a concrete reason to show this guy is not fit to be a doctor, then show that. but this really appears to be a situation where they are punishing him for expressing views a public institution disagrees with. classic 1st amendment violation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This should be a national news story. Absolutely despicable behavior by an institution my tax dollars help fund.

https://reason.com/2021/04/07/microaggressions-uva-student-kieran-bhattacharya-threat/

I find it far more likely that he’s the common denominator given that multiple people seemed to have a similar reaction to his behavior. Occam’s Razor and all that. But you’re right that it’s scandalous that some belligerent jerk would cause a waste of taxpayer dollars defending frivolous litigation.

That said, you haven’t explained, why, exactly, some dude’s axe grinding is a National news story? Can you explain your reasoning?

Because asking questions at a lecture got him booted out of med school. That’s really f’ed up. And the fact you don’t see how f’ed up that is is even more frightening.

Do you actually believe all of this stems from one single incident? Come ON.

He filed this lawsuit in 2019. What's he trying to do, try it in the right-wing media? How's that going to work out for him?

I did a little Googling and it would appear he's basically some smug kid from Hawaii whose overly hostile behavior and concern trolling went too far. But from the description of it, multiple people had multiple interactions with him on multiple occasions and there was a pattern that was alarming. This doesn't in any way all seem to be related to one incident at a lecture two years ago.

Did you read the articles, the transcripts, or listen to the audio? There is absolutely zero evidence of any wrongdoing. At his expulsion hearing, when he presses for exactly what he did, the only answer he got was that he “acted unprofessional”. When he asks what that means, he is told that he is displaying it now, in the hearing, that he is “being defensive”.

To be clear, the kid is getting railroaded, is in his own expulsion hearing, and is accused of “being defensive”.

On top of that, within hours of the panel and a dean filing the complaint about his questions, the school reached out to start interrogating him. But, instead of asking about the panel, the dean (referenced in the expulsion hearing) asks about his feelings on affirmative action and Donald Trump. I’m no Trump fan, but how on earth is that acceptable?

UVA has a lot to answer for here.

We’re in a strange time now. We’re trying to navigate a brave new world of racial interaction and equality. There are big considerations of bad publicity , especially for colleges trying to placate an increasingly vocal social justice movement concerned student body, who may view offensive language as physically harmful. These institutions have to balance free speech concerns and all sort of potential racial minefields they may unintentionally fall into by not addressing things the right way. It’s pretty crazy actually. Also this trickles down to the average person now who has to walk on eggshells or mind any criticism or question they may have for fear of being branded discriminatory or racist. What if constructive critiisicm is deemed racist? Honestly not sure how things aren’t just going to end up in gridlock. If you can’t question the foundations of a theory, in good faith, without malice, without fear of retribution, what happens? I guess timeg grinds on and society just uses those unquestionable theories as bedrock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would never waste my time attending a conference on "microaggression." WTF is with our hard-earned tax dollars getting abused with microaggressing spenders acting like entitled douches who think nothing of spending $100,000 studying "microaggression."

I think this type of perspective has value for a medical professional who will treat people of all races and creeds. Take off your reactionary hat and think a little harder. Bedside manner still matters.

Totally agree with you. I have lots of physicians in my family. Not quibbling at all with the value in a stable, empathetic, knowledgeable, and respectful physician in the making.

What I'm saying is that the subject of microagression sounds like a whole lot of navel gazing. We are turning into a nation of snowflakes.

Look, I am a white man. I am not threatened by discussions about microaggressions, nor am I dismissive of people who wish to share their experiences that by definition I have never experienced. I am not sure why you are so threatened or annoyed by this, but it suggests to me that you lack some basic empathy. Which is fine for you — anyone can be an ass. But I want my doctors to have empathy, even if some of that has to be coached because they are blind to their biases. I would much rather err on that side and tolerate some oversensitivity than sustain the current environment where people inadvertently offend. Complaining about “snowflakes” is just intellectual laziness masking a lack of empathy and critical thinking ability.

but UVA is a public institution. They can’t punish students based on speech that they deem insufficiently “empathetic.” If there is a concrete reason to show this guy is not fit to be a doctor, then show that. but this really appears to be a situation where they are punishing him for expressing views a public institution disagrees with. classic 1st amendment violation.

That’s what the plaintiff contends. The university says it’s more a question of meeting expectations for professional standards. The judge has not ruled on this question but if you read the order, case law is pretty clearly on the university’s side with that defense. You seem to side with the plaintiff, but all you have heard is his axe grinding. No testimony has been given. You might be so gullible as to indulge in confirmation bias that this is a first amendment issue, but it very well might not end up that way.

At the moment, the plaintiff has already had 80% of his claims dismissed. There may be a trial on the remaining 20% but I don’t think this is an open and shut case.

And I say this as a former journalist and fervent first amendment advocate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rather than defend themselves and the subject of micro-aggressions in court, UVA will definitely settle. No way do they want a public trial.

What's to defend? These professors screwed up and they know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I would never waste my time attending a conference on "microaggression." WTF is with our hard-earned tax dollars getting abused with microaggressing spenders acting like entitled douches who think nothing of spending $100,000 studying "microaggression."

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d bet serious money this student was a trump voter.

He’s just trying to cause trouble, and fishing for a settlement check, like some slip and fall con-man. Too bad someone on campus couldn’t arrange an accident that would incentivize him not to come around anymore.

So? What does that have to do with anything?

And how do you know he was "just trying to cause trouble?" What happened to the concept of "good trouble?" If idiots like these professors were taking tuition dollars to make a presentation on a public university campus at which he is a student, he had every right to be there and ask any question he wanted.

And your final comment sounds like a threat. I think it should be reported to the moderator, with your IPS address investigated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This should be a national news story. Absolutely despicable behavior by an institution my tax dollars help fund.

https://reason.com/2021/04/07/microaggressions-uva-student-kieran-bhattacharya-threat/

I find it far more likely that he’s the common denominator given that multiple people seemed to have a similar reaction to his behavior. Occam’s Razor and all that. But you’re right that it’s scandalous that some belligerent jerk would cause a waste of taxpayer dollars defending frivolous litigation.

That said, you haven’t explained, why, exactly, some dude’s axe grinding is a National news story? Can you explain your reasoning?

There is a transcript in the 2nd link, showing exactly what questions were asked.

Beyond the idea of a student being expelled for asking questions on microaggressions, and the obvious partisanship, there is extremely problematic weaponization of a psychological evaluation at play.

Wow, it reminds me of the historical misuse of psychiatry, especially towards women. Now towards those who don't toe the party line? Positively Orwellian!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This should be a national news story. Absolutely despicable behavior by an institution my tax dollars help fund.

https://reason.com/2021/04/07/microaggressions-uva-student-kieran-bhattacharya-threat/

I find it far more likely that he’s the common denominator given that multiple people seemed to have a similar reaction to his behavior. Occam’s Razor and all that. But you’re right that it’s scandalous that some belligerent jerk would cause a waste of taxpayer dollars defending frivolous litigation.

That said, you haven’t explained, why, exactly, some dude’s axe grinding is a National news story? Can you explain your reasoning?

There is a transcript in the 2nd link, showing exactly what questions were asked.

Beyond the idea of a student being expelled for asking questions on microaggressions, and the obvious partisanship, there is extremely problematic weaponization of a psychological evaluation at play.

Wow, it reminds me of the historical misuse of psychiatry, especially towards women. Now towards those who don't toe the party line? Positively Orwellian!

+1

This was a tactic used against political opponents in the USSR. Now, people save for college and grad school for ages, sometimes to their detriment of their lifestyle, only to potentially have their kids kicked out and be called a psycho. Where were Northam's psychological evaluations and bedside manner cards when he dressed in either a KKK hood or blackface in med school?

[Anonymous]

"Microaggressions" are unknowable and unidentifiable except to that individual and highly dependent on the situation and perhaps even mood. Essentially each individual has their own unique set of laws that govern themselves as a sovereign entity.

They're completely ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Microaggressions" are unknowable and unidentifiable except to that individual and highly dependent on the situation and perhaps even mood. Essentially each individual has their own unique set of laws that govern themselves as a sovereign entity.

They're completely ridiculous.

My rule of thumb is we all have a professional/interpersonal responsibility to let someone know directly if something short of outright harrassment bothers us (comment, joke, flirtation, tone whatever). Also, be willing to hear the other's view- 99% of the time they will say I didn't mean to offend you, and appreciate you letting them know. If they continue to repeat the action after you let them know, it is an agression. Not before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds bad but I suspect there might be more to the story.

OP’s story comes from Reason magazine, a Libertarian foundation so f course it’s telling only one side if the story!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have links to the Reddit discussions mentioned in this thread?

There are a few. Google uva microaggression case Reddit. Here is on that link to (some deleted) 4chan threads.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UVA/comments/ab1dy7/university_of_virginia_med_student_receives_1year/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf