Academics

Future leaders in business, government, and civil society need more than just job skills. The following articles defend the value of liberal education, with a focus on academic quality and rigor, fundamental knowledge, and the ideas that have shaped Western Civilization. They also scrutinize academic programs that have departed from these ideals in the name of progressive ideology.

Leftists blast report urging colleges to teach American history and principles

Nov 30, 2001 · Martin Center Staff

A report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni has the establishment-left wing of academe up in arms. “Defending Civilization: How Our Universities Are Failing America and What Can Be Done About It” builds on the fact that “academe is the only sector of American society that is distinctly divided in its response” to the terrorist attacks on America to reiterate (not to mention, underscore) the organization’s call for trustees, donors and alumni to seek change in their institutions of higher education.

Harsh critic of UNC-Chapel Hill to speak in Chapel Hill, Raleigh

Nov 23, 2001 · Martin Center Staff

Leftist-radical-turned-conservative-activist David Horowitz will be speaking in Raleigh and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Horowitz, president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, has been sharply critical of leftists in higher education prior to and following Sept. 11, and he has been especially critical of UNC-CH.

Former Black Panther leader regales Duke University students

Nov 16, 2001 · Martin Center Staff

As America’s war on terrorists abroad continues successfully, a former head of a domestic terrorist organization spoke at Duke University to an apparently receptive crowd.

UNCW prof threatened with a lawsuit for responding to student’s e-mail

Nov 15, 2001 · Jon Sanders

A UNC-Wilmington student is threatening a lawsuit against a professor because she was offended by his response to her mass email, sent also to him, in which she claimed the war on terrorism was an “intensification of US imperialist repression already in progress.”

Report on teacher certification riles education establishment

· George Leef

“Teacher Certification: Stumbling for Quality” is the title of a major report released in October by the Abell Foundation that has vexed the vociferous education establishment. The report, by Kate Walsh, tackles the assumptions that undergird the regulatory policies that all states have implemented, mandating teacher certification as the way to ensure good teachers.

Feminist teach-in links “fundamentalism” in the Middle East to (natch) the U.S.

· Jon Sanders

“Women Fight Fundamentalisms: Before and After September 11th” was the topic of a two-day “teach-in” at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. Discussion was not, however, limited to the fight against that “fundamentalist” version of Islam. As the title clearly indicates, the topic was women fighting “fundamentalisms” (plural). And one speaker discussed similarities between President George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden.

N.C. State panelists suggest oil and racism are what really motivate the U.S. war on terrorism

· Hans Hurd

The U.S. war on terrorism was roundly decried Tuesday by the speakers at a North Carolina State University roundtable discussion on the war. The discussion was sponsored by the N.C. State Women’s Center, the Academic Study of Religion Club and Engineers Without Borders.