My AP Language class is actually Introduction to Gender Studies

[Eggdodger]

My English teacher is a bitter old woman. She "loses" my assignments, doesn't let me make up assignments (I miss school frequently for health reasons) and tells me it was probably my fault if something is awry in her class.

Worst of all, the material she hands out is 2/3rds articles from at least 20 years ago, at most 200 years ago, written by women, focused on women, and with nothing good to say about men. She cherry picks the articles that have the most passive-aggressive vitriol in them as possible.

A precursor to the meat of this post: I like egalitarianism as much as the next... egalitarian, but I don't like feminist or MRA shit shoved in my face constantly. I respect first and second wave feminism in the 1900's, and women's rights as a whole historical issue, but when the teacher says things like, "Women are still in this position today!" (to an article written in the 70's) it makes me feel a little sick to my stomach. You can feel her eyes dissecting every man in the room.

One article was an excerpt from a speech given during first-wave feminism about the exploitation of little girls in sweatshops before child labor laws were put into place. While she made very good points-- I mean, pretty obvious kids shouldn't be put to work at elementary age-- she only mentions little boys in that exact same position once. She says it's okay because they'll grow up to be "future breadwinners". First off... No they won't, if they die in a factory accident, which was very common for the time. Second, future breadwinner is present helpless young boy. Seriously.

Another article, titled "Why I Want a Wife", should have been titled, "Why I Regret My Shitty Marriage and Will Reconsider Courting Assholes in the Future." (This was the 70's article) She described how she picked up after a man, cleaned his house, pleased him, dressed him, fed him, and how he felt entitled to cheat on her. On top of that, she quit her job and college to do all these responsibilities and bear his children. Well, I would say she described him, but she was doing so by listing "wife duties" that all wives do, and how all men respond. That's my main issue with it: the generalization of marriages. She says she, herself is a wife, and wishes she had a wife to do all the things for her that she does for her husband. Well... Why did she marry him at all if he's not what she wants in a man? I guess it was easy for her to blame social constructs, but I grew up with parents that were adults when this article was written and had a very liberal, egalitarian marriage. In fact, my mom ran her own pet shop for several years. My father, a war veteran of Vietnam, was a stay-at-home dad for me until his death. He cleaned, he did laundry, he cooked, he played with me. See, Judy Brady, I can use anecdotes to make my point, too.

Anyways, boo hoo, teacher doesn't like my responses to her assignments on these articles, which weren't rude so much as... qualifying (in this context qualify would mean "to make preceding statements less strong or ideal"). I don't buy into her agenda with these biased articles, but I'm confident I may very well fail the class as a result. Everyday, I hear the strain in her voice when addressing me get more and more pained. She hates me.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Eggdodger

[Zerig]

I don't buy into her agenda with these biased articles, but I'm confident I may very well fail the class as a result.

on one hand I wanna say you should just bullshit to make her happy, because the class probably costs a lot

but on the other hand I'm stubborn and proud as fuck, and I wanna tell you to keep disagreeing with her and probably fail the class out of spite

so conflicting

 

 

[TrishaCat]

This thread will go well

[Charrio]

Just threaten to take action if your opinion is not taken as equal, claim biased judgement.
She can have a twitter war that will eventually come to the admin and they have to deal with it to save face.

[Zaraphayx]

Every day I live I count my blessings that I got out of academia with minimal tales of contact with these ideological zealots.

The only thing I can think of was an English professor who claimed on the first day that the "neutral" pronoun was 'she' because "muh equality" and I dropped that class and went with a different professor immediately.

That and the majors I chose are fields where gender politics has very little relevance so there was that.

[Eggdodger]

This thread will go well

Well, let's keep it outside of the scope of feminism, because that's not where I was intending my rant to go. Mainly, it's the fact that the teacher is forcefeeding kids her ideals and expecting positive reactions. I refuse to encourage that behavior.

[#00Buck]

She probably just needs some Vitamin "D"."

[Zaraphayx]

Just threaten to take action if your opinion is not taken as equal, claim biased judgement.
She can have a twitter war that will eventually come to the admin and they have to deal with it to save face.

This doesn't work out like you think it does, especially if the entire department is staffed with gender ideologues. It's more likely you get dragged into the spotlight and shamed by your co-eds as a bigot and your college/university administration will be pressured into sacrificing you for social responsibility points.


I dunno what OP's academic aspirations are but humanities departments are no longer places where societal values are questioned. It's a reeducation camp for progressive extremism.

[Charrio]

She probably just needs some Vitamin "D"."

Penis.... Heh

This doesn't work out like you think it does, especially if the entire department is staffed with gender ideologues. It's more likely you get dragged into the spotlight and shamed by your co-eds as a bigot and your college/university administration will be pressured into sacrificing you for social responsibility points.
 

Yeah you're probably right, it's just a shame you can't take it to the net and fight back like so many have done.
All you need to do is make a big enough media stink, just how tho?

[#00Buck]

Necro Beagle could fix it for you.

[Eggdodger]

I dunno what OP's academic aspirations are but humanities departments are no longer places where societal values are questioned. It's a reeducation camp for progressive extremism.

The degree I want is considered one of fine arts. The official title is "Game [design], Animation and Simulation". Multifaceted, you see. I actually got approved for a scholarship today, in fact. =)

[Butters]

What is the quality of the work you turn in?

[Troj]

Ah yes, the ol' "bait and switch" class. Been there, experienced that.

I've taken classes that were run into the ground by teachers who were bitter old Marxists, angry feminists, hippie Pagans, born-again Christians, or just plain mentally ill.

The worst was probably the born-again Christian teacher who played Focus on the Family-type videos in his study hall when the students would ask to watch a movie.

It takes a lot of self-discipline and honesty to not just vomit your world view or personal baggage onto a captive audience who is there to learn from you and absorb whatever you say.

 

[Onnes]

People in academia like to complain about RateMyProfessors, but it is invaluable for avoiding horrible classes when you don't have any other gossip to go on. Especially since spectacularly bad instructors tend to garner the most reviews.

[Eggdodger]

What is the quality of the work you turn in?

Only the best, Butters. => I ace the multiple choice because there's no room for sass in those portions of assignments.

People in academia like to complain about RateMyProfessors, but it is invaluable for avoiding horrible classes when you don't have any other gossip to go on. Especially since spectacularly bad instructors tend to garner the most reviews.

RateMyProfessor, huh? I'll definitely take a look at that next year.

[Troj]

Oh yeah, I like RateMyProfessor. Useful tool.

I particularly enjoy browsing the reviews of famous high-profile professors.

[Sidewalk Surfboard]

You poor, poor soul. I personally would drop out.

[#00Buck]

You poor, poor soul. I personally would drop out.

Are you a guidance counsellor?

[Sidewalk Surfboard]

Are you a guidance counsellor?

Yes

[#00Buck]

Yes

I can tell. 

[Zeitzbach]

This is what happens when you let tumblritardinas teach.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Zeitzbach

[Skylar Husky]

My English teacher is a bitter old woman.

*Snip for brevity*

Anyways, boo hoo, teacher doesn't like my responses to her assignments on these articles, which weren't rude so much as... qualifying (in this context qualify would mean "to make preceding statements less strong or ideal"). I don't buy into her agenda with these biased articles, but I'm confident I may very well fail the class as a result. Everyday, I hear the strain in her voice when addressing me get more and more pained. She hates me.

It sounds like you have one of two options.

Option One: Suck it up, dig into your soul, call up your most determined and tenacious part of your soul, harden yourself, make your face like flint, do not say another thing in disagreement, and just b.s. your way through the assignments and papers for the rest of this class. You do not have to like it. You do not have to believe it and once you are gone you will not have to look at it again. It is only another 2 months now after all. 

-OR-

Option Two: Drop out of it, take it again in the Spring semester and hopefully you won't get the hag again for another class.

I can sympathize. University was like this for me. There were professors with their own axes to grind with the world and wanted to ram their beliefs and indoctrination down the class' collective throats. 

I had one who was a Sociology professor who was opposite of me in every way possible. She said things to bait me. It finally reached a point when the argument got to her shouting, that I just dropped it. It was loud enough that classmates were stunned at her behavior. I didn't say anything else to her the rest of semester and on the day of my final, I wore a political t-shirt in direct opposition to her points of view and sat right in front of her to take the exam. I aced it and all the papers I had to write, so I will say that at least in the end of the day she was fair, but I was prepared to take my lumps, flunk the course and retake the course just to spite her with the political shirt on the day of the final.

Option One is the harder option to take, but it will prepare you for your encounters with this over and over in university life and once you graduate and begin in your career field.

If you do not think you can keep your sanity listening to someone gas on about things which offend your sensibilities you really may need to consider the second option, especially if her patience is wearing thin with you. It might not go well in the end. 

Other than that,. i will tell you. I understand and wish you the best. Hang in there. It is not all bad at the University. in 10-15 years, you will look back at the memories fondly, like I do. 

[Kellie Gator]

Is this just some kinda cultural difference or has a lot happened in the last ten years? As a student in Sweden of all thing I've never come across this at all when studying. ._.

[Wolflich]

All that really concerns me here is in the second sentence. If she is doing things that will unfairly affect your grades then maybe there is a way to file a complaint formally or something? Or at the very least put it in a review of her when you're free of it so that maybe in time fewer other people will have to put up with her.

To the rest of this I just think... so what? The world is full of people who believe far more painfully stupid things and in almost no circumstance are they worth interacting with more than the bare minimum you have to in order to get what you want. Most people I meet couldn't tell you what I believe about anything, or they'd try and be wrong, and it makes them much easier to deal with. Do you want to know her after this course is done? I doubt it. Tell her whatever serves your interests until you don't have to see her ever again.

[Clove Darkwave]

Restructure your understanding of the class as AP Language: Liar Studies and get an A+ in telling lies. Useful tool in the adult world, where politics are a minefield and your boss should never know what you actually think.

[Troj]

And/or, restructure your understanding as AP Language: Negotiating with Zealots, and treat it as an exercise in trying to get into the head of another person.

[Ayattar]

Record it and share it with her supervisors.

I don't know how it looks in the US, but here it wouldn't be a problem to ground her. In the worst case a letter to the ministry of education representative would solve it.

[Vallium]

This is what happens when you let tumblritardinas teach.

But 'tis an old woman, sounds more like a bitter lady who had a lot of menproblems in her life and wants to paint them as the enemy, not some teenage sjw

anyways, Ratemyprofessor is pretty good, I had a teacher complain about how it wasnt all that useful but it sounds more to me like she must've been grumpy over reviews about her. Good news about college though is if you dislike a teacher you can avoid having that teacher next class because each class gives you all the information including what teacher is doing the teaching

[Troj]

On Rate My Professors, tough-but-fair teachers will sometimes garner lower ratings from butthurt crybabies, slackers, and SJWs.

But, if people are leaving written comments the way they should, it's fairly easy to tell what's probably motivating people's reviews of a particular prof.

[Skylar Husky]

But 'tis an old woman, sounds more like a bitter lady who had a lot of menproblems in her life and wants to paint them as the enemy, not some teenage sjw

anyways, Ratemyprofessor is pretty good, I had a teacher complain about how it wasnt all that useful but it sounds more to me like she must've been grumpy over reviews about her. Good news about college though is if you dislike a teacher you can avoid having that teacher next class because each class gives you all the information including what teacher is doing the teaching

If a person could indeed:  "...feel her eyes dissecting every man in the room." As Eggdodger put it in the fourth or fifth line of the first post, then this teacher is no lady...  That is neither here nor there though.  The thing is Man-problems. I agree whole-heartedly. This reeks of someone on a vendetta against all men because of a past hurt she has not gotten over. It almost always is.

If i may turn back to the example I gave above with the Sociology professor I had. It later came to light during one of her lectures what part of her problem was. I forget which exact war he had fought in, but she began to talk about how her father was a veteran and had been permanently injured and no longer walked. His suffering was sort of taken out on her and her brothers. To see her face sort of melt and her otherwise steely glare soften a bit, I knew that this hit really hard for her. She repeated what he told all of them about how a war made him crippled, war sucked and not to serve in the Armed Forces for the United States. This was also before the September 11th terrorist attacks and the days after when American Patriotism began anew. I don't imagine her words would have been as mildly received as they were. As it stood, One other student in the class took great exception to her negativity towards the armed forces because he was there on the G. I. Bill.

She then in another class talked about Amnesty International and I put all the pieces together. I had seen them protesting and been handed their pamphlets and primers before. Most of what she said sounded exactly like reading one of those dern things. 

So yes. There is always something under the surface.

 

RateMyProfessor(dot)com.

That is interesting to say the least. When going through, I don't recall having that. We did have surveys that we took. both community college and University administration took those with the utmost seriousness. An official would come in and another would stand at the front door to the class without allowing the professor to come within 10 feet of the door. They would then tell us it was time to take a survey about the professor and class, then hand it in. Most of the questions were multiple choice and it looked like a standardized test taken with pencils and coloring in dots. The second portion was reserved for comments and they gave as many papers you needed for comments. They also gave you as much time as you needed to finish writing them all. Those were typically taken towards the end of semester, after a midterm, after the term paper but before the final.

They would then record these results and put them in volumes available at the library on campus. Had I bothered to sign up for the library orientation crashcourse that was requested at the front of the library in the first two weeks of each semester, i might have been shown those, but other students showed me them. They gave the responses to the questions in the survey as histograms (bar charts) and then there would be at least 20 pages of the comments given. It would have been a great deal easier online for sure though. Some professors even went to the library, photocopied them and read the comments aloud to the class the first day of semester. I had an Organic Chemistry professor who read all the comments, good or bad, about him from the previous class' survey.

[PheagleAdler]

Oh yeah, I like RateMyProfessor. Useful tool.

I particularly enjoy browsing the reviews of famous high-profile professors.

I like that they have a 'hot' rating lmao

[Toboe]

Oh god, fuck your teacher, Egg. (figurative, of course)

[Monochromatic-Dragon]

Talk to the Dean, talk to Administration, hell, talk to a professor you trust and ask them what you can do about it. Don't take a failing grade if its clearly the teacher's bias against you. 

[evan]

Well, let's keep it outside of the scope of feminism, because that's not where I was intending my rant to go. Mainly, it's the fact that the teacher is forcefeeding kids her ideals and expecting positive reactions. I refuse to encourage that behavior.

 

Keep ignoring it. It honestly doesn't sound like the AP format wouldn't support what she's instilling upon her class. I'd honestly suggest going on AP and figuring out what you're supposed to be doing. A majority of my friends took that class, and it was NOT that lol (and I say that because you might not be getting the materials you need from the required reading list, and after all for the final essay you don't actually need to use what you learned in class, the class is somewhat a teaching tool for succeeding in that format)

 

All that matters is the 4-5 at the end of the day. If your essays are effective, that matters more.

And I mean that seriously. She's not teaching her curriculum if that's what's going on. The purpose of the class is to prepare you for AP Assessment, which is supposed to represent a specific skill set. If her assessment of your papers is not objective, then she is not fulfilling the purpose of her curriculum. This isn't feminist debate class. Valid points, whether or not they fit the status quo or even a moral argument, must be addressed, as that is the entire point of writing essays in those classes...

Edited October 8, 2015 by evan

[TrishaCat]

Well, let's keep it outside of the scope of feminism, because that's not where I was intending my rant to go. Mainly, it's the fact that the teacher is forcefeeding kids her ideals and expecting positive reactions. I refuse to encourage that behavior.

Ah. Well in that case, you might consider talking to higher ups about it. Have you talked with a counselor about this or something? Maybe gain permission to video tape a couple of class times as evidence? I've never had to deal with a situation in which a teacher or professor pushed their beliefs into the classroom fortunately, but it appears really frustrating.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Battlechili

[Eggdodger]

I appreciate all the feedback, guys. I'll talk to the counselor about it if this continues. Problem is, I don't expect much of a reaction from them besides, "aaand...?" They might not see her as an issue. They're not taking the class, so they don't know just how many articles on feminism we get on a weekly basis. Maybe I'll put them all in a folder to dump on her desk one day. Since you guys are telling me that people who have taken the class before were not in this position, I must just be very unfortunate.

I doubt she'd treat me differently if she knew I was transgender.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Eggdodger

[Gamedog]

this will help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRCyELQnSw

[Eggdodger]

 

this will help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRCyELQnSw

I'm not intentionally trying to start a fight, but thanks for the laugh. I love satire

Is this just some kinda cultural difference or has a lot happened in the last ten years? As a student in Sweden of all thing I've never come across this at all when studying. ._.

It's just a "me" problem as far as I know, with a singular teacher... I don't feel I've said anything particularly offensive to her, but what I think seems to matter little anyways. Hopefully this isn't a rampant problem in American education.

[Toboe]

I appreciate all the feedback, guys. I'll talk to the counselor about it if this continues. Problem is, I don't expect much of a reaction from them besides, "aaand...?" They might not see her as an issue. They're not taking the class, so they don't know just how many articles on feminism we get on a weekly basis. Maybe I'll put them all in a folder to dump on her desk one day. Since you guys are telling me that people who have taken the class before were not in this position, I must just be very unfortunate.

I doubt she'd treat me differently if she knew I was transgender.

Good luck, if it is anywhere as bad as you say she needs to be removed.

Make sure to have proof ("during one semester THIS is what she gave us."-> Folder with all  the articles).

[Troj]

Oh, if she's a certain type of old manhater, I'd worry that she'd also be a TERF--in which case, being trans would NOT help you.

[Vallium]

Oh, if she's a certain type of old manhater, I'd worry that she'd also be a TERF--in which case, being trans would NOT help you.

Where do all these new words even come from???

It's like these movements spawn new vocabulary all the time.

[Troj]

I have no idea where TERF came from offhand. It just means Trans-Exclusionary Rad-Fem.

And oh yes, they exist. They're typically old-school Andrea Dworkin- or Valerie Solanas-esque rad-fems whose hatred of men is so absolute and so intense that they see trans women as spies, saboteurs, and sleeper cells for the Great Male Enemy, and see trans men as gender traitors.

[Vallium]

I have no idea where TERF came from offhand. It just means Trans-Exclusionary Rad-Fem.

And oh yes, they exist. They're typically old-school Andrea Dworkin- or Valerie Solanas-esque rad-fems whose hatred of men is so absolute and so intense that they see trans women as spies, saboteurs, and sleeper cells for the Great Male Enemy, and see trans men as gender traitors.

R.I.P my name

Time to get it legally changed.