It seems to me what Michael Yates expressed in his post on college education is disappointment, which is not at all the same as loathing. Teachers are liable to experience disappointment if they hold very high expectations (whether ethical, political, or intellectual) of students. I admire Michael for holding his students to high standards.
At the beginning of my graduate school career, I had great expectations & experienced much vexation of the spirit. My expectations have come down to earth (so to speak) since then, so I now often experience pleasant surprises both with regard to students' education and political activism.
Take a look at this, for instance:
***** The Lantern - Campus Issue: 03/09/01
USG supports drug provision repeal By Jeff Vari
Ohio State joined the list of schools across the country fighting the government's war on drugs when USG passed a resolution at its Wednesday meeting to support the repeal of the drug provision attached to the Higher Education Act, which denies students federal aid if they have been convicted of a drug-related offense.
The vote, passed unanimously, was in stark contrast to the decision made last spring to support the drug provision by a vote of 15 to 1.
Sean Luse, OSU sophomore and vice president of For a Better Ohio, presented the facts and his opinions on the resolution.
"The issue here is not drugs or drug use. The issue is education," Luse said. "The Higher Education Act drug provision is a direct attack on students. And as students we must tell our politicians that blocking access to an education is an inappropriate response to our nation's drug problem."
Last year, over 8,000 students at universities across the country lost their financial aid because of the provision, and over 800,000 didn't even answer the question concerning drug offenses on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Federal aid may be denied from one to three years or cut indefinitely depending on the number and category of offense.
Sophomore Russell Selkirk told USG that he thinks the provision charges individuals twice for the same crime. "I was arrested for drug paraphernalia and abuse, and in addition to paying $250 in fines, losing my license for six months, being on probation for one year and serving 20 hours of community service, I lost my financial aid," Selkirk said.
Similar resolutions have been endorsed by over 40 university student governments, including Yale, University of Michigan, Penn State and the University of Wisconsin.
The vote to pass the resolution came exactly one week after the chief political supporter of repealing the drug provision, Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, reintroduced legislation at a press conference in the nation's capital. Frank was supported by representatives of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, where the bill is reviewed, as well as representatives from the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators and the United States Student Association.
Also on hand was Shawn Heller, George Washington University graduate and national director of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, which has groups at over 80 campuses.
Heller said he doesn't expect the legislation to pass through in this congress but hopes to drum up enough support so that in 2002 he and supporters will see an easier chance in removing the drug provision.
"We have a wide range of universities that have come aboard with this from Yale to George Washington, but support from state schools is definitely important, especially in states like Ohio," Heller said.
SSDP promotes the idea that this provision only affects lower-income students and that it is hypocritical that an individual from a wealthy family doesn't have to worry about exposing prior drug use or convictions.
"We see education as a possible solution to a lot of our social problems, drug abuse being one of them, and not something you should put road blocks in front of," Heller said.
<http://www.thelantern.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=54127#> *****
Sean Luse (quoted above) was also very active in strike support during CWA Local 4501's strike on campus in 2000. At one point, when we (strike supporters) were picketing the stadium construction site in our effort to put more pressures upon the football-crazed administration, shouting "No Contract, No Football," one scab construction worker physically attacked & punched Sean. Sean has paid his dues as a student activist, & he -- as well as many other OSU students -- should be honored for his dedicated service to working-class struggles.
Yoshie