I had good teachers and bad teachers, but I thank NED I never had to deal with Cecile du Bois's teacher.
Cecile had the temerity to suggest that women might have a slightly easier time today than when Mary Wollstonecraft wrote "Vindication on the Rights of Women." Of course that was unacceptable to her teacher, but it gets worse. In the ensuing discussion, Cecile let it slip that she was not a big fan of affirmative action. Her teacher ridiculed her and allowed other students to laugh. Threats of physical violence ensued after class.
All because she thought for herself. You don't have to agree with her (though I do). You have to agree that it's alright to think in class. Her friend suggested that she just do and say what others do and say.
Today's lesson has been accepted by the friend: just go along, get along. Write one of a hundred essays comparing Wollstonecraft seminal feminist manifest to the latest Julia Roberts movie and smile and nod.
Brian at Samizdata writes a moving piece on this topic and asks people to visit Cecile's (very good) blog and leave encouraging comments there or at Samizdata.
Posted by jk at January 31, 2004 03:22 PM