The End of Being a Duke Professor and What It Means for the Future of Higher Education

Apr 22, 2019 · · No Comments on The End of Being a Duke Professor and What It Means for the Future of Higher Education

The end of the spring semester marks the 20th anniversary of my professorship at Duke, first as an assistant professor and then as an associate professor of the practice at the Sanford School of Public Policy. During this time, I regularly taught the required ethics class for all undergraduate public policy majors. I won multiple … Continue reading “The End of Being a Duke Professor and What It Means for the Future of Higher Education”

The New Racism, Part I: How ‘Race and Ethnic Studies’ Made Color Blindness a Bad Thing

Aug 1, 2018 · · No Comments on The New Racism, Part I: How ‘Race and Ethnic Studies’ Made Color Blindness a Bad Thing

Like most Americans, I have always assumed that color blindness is our ideal.  Not any more: color blindness is now become the new racism. So much for a 70-year struggle to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.’s wish that his children be “judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their … Continue reading “The New Racism, Part I: How ‘Race and Ethnic Studies’ Made Color Blindness a Bad Thing”

Duke Divinity School’s Race to the Bottom

Apr 16, 2018 · · No Comments on Duke Divinity School’s Race to the Bottom

The chickens have come home to roost at Duke’s Divinity School. Protesting students claim the school is insufficiently diverse. More needs to be done, they say, to combat racism, transphobia, homophobia, and associated evils. All this despite a campaign by the administration to achieve these very aims in the course of which a distinguished faculty … Continue reading “Duke Divinity School’s Race to the Bottom”

Are Black Male Athletes Failing to Graduate Because of Racism?

Apr 9, 2018 · · No Comments on Are Black Male Athletes Failing to Graduate Because of Racism?

The relationship between participation in sports and academic performance has many faces. Most of them are happy; for instance, many studies show that high school athletes outperform non-athletes academically by a large margin. At the college level, the relationships are more varied, depending on the school, the sport, and the demographic group. Still, college athletes … Continue reading “Are Black Male Athletes Failing to Graduate Because of Racism?”

Classroom Diversity and Its Mentality of Taboo

Sep 29, 2017 · · 7 Comments on Classroom Diversity and Its Mentality of Taboo

Anyone who applies for an executive or upper management position at a university these days must demonstrate a “strong commitment to diversity.” That’s because diversity, according to campus dogma, provides real educational benefits. Counting and mingling students and professors by race, ethnicity or gender is supposed to broaden perspectives and enhance classroom learning. That might … Continue reading “Classroom Diversity and Its Mentality of Taboo”

Why it’s so hard to get a sound general education from UNC schools

Sep 12, 2003 · · No Comments on Why it’s so hard to get a sound general education from UNC schools

Under today’s assumptions, it isn’t enough to teach history. History incorporates things outside the aegis. But “Third World History” and “African American History” (which address racism), “History of Women in America” (which addresses sexism), and “Lesbians in History” (which addresses homophobia) will do.