Reply to American University student government demands 'trigger warnings' be added to every class syllabus

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As another professor, who, by the way, applauds the U of C's position on trigger warnings, I would hate to have students dictate to me what I include on my syllabus. Since I teach a class on war, I would hope that students understand enough about war to know that there will be disturbing material. On principle I would refuse to include a statement on my syllabus stating, essentially, that war is disturbing. Dear God.

As for the PP who would be offended if a student used the "n-word," I hope you realize that a trigger warning wouldn't prevent another classmate from using that word in an inappropriate manner. A professor should certainly step in and stop the discussion at that point simply on the grounds that such language violates the rules of civil discourse. [/quote]I'm not sure if you saw this letter with a different perspective of the concept of 'safe space.'  I wholeheartedly agree.  BOTH sides need to be heard.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/14/u-chicago-professors-issue-letter-safe-spaces-and-trigger-warnings

These professors are not asking for a pacifier and cradle.

[i]The letter doesn't say that trigger warnings or safe spaces are inherently good or bad. But it says that students have every right to request these things -- and that discouraging students from doing so represents a squelching of freedom of expression.

"Those of us who have signed this letter have a variety of opinions about requests for trigger warnings and safe spaces," the letter says. "We may also disagree as to whether free speech is ever legitimately interrupted by concrete pressures of the political. That is as it should be. But let there be no mistake: such requests often touch on substantive, ongoing issues of bias, intolerance and trauma that affect our intellectual exchanges. To start a conversation by declaring that such requests are not worth making is an affront to the basic principles of liberal education and participatory democracy."[/i][/quote]

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