Junk Academics on the Way Out at Texas Colleges

It’s about time.  Some courses at some universities are much more about indoctrination than actual learning.  Thanks to Senate Bill 37, many of the worst of these classes will no longer be part of the core curriculum.

So, what do I mean by “junk academics?” 

I mean courses that are near and dear to the hearts of activists, far left professors, and certain political movements, but are of no practical use in society.  These include ethnic studies and other grievance courses, LGBTQ Literature, which, from what I’ve seen is mostly pornography, climate change, and women writers.  Texas A&M regents have scaled back these classes, as has the University of Texas, and the University of Houston.  Of course, left-wing professors are outraged and the American Association of University Professors has sued.  Of course they have!

AUDIO:  Random Samplings of a Logical Mind (TO COME)

There are some things in life we can have, but we don’t need.

The sister to junk academics is junk insurance.  Most of the spam in my email inbox is about insurance – in case my car needs repair, or someone uses title fraud to steal my house.  Cable TV is loaded with title insurance fraud ads and now even hawks an “emergency medical kit” so that I can be prepared for dozens of ailments I will never get.

Let’s start with insurance.  AFLAC is a good company I’m sure, but I simply don’t need their product.  Maybe you do and maybe not, but don’t purchase it just because you like the AFLAC duck, or because a retired football coach tells you to.  Regarding the multitudes of spam I get about car repair insurance, think about what you’re driving.  Newer cars break down less, and they have a factory warranty.  In my case, I’d rather risk paying for a repair than for sure paying for insurance I likely will never use.

The company selling title fraud insurance is respected so far as I know, but they exaggerate the danger of title fraud.  First, some states have passed laws that would shield you from it.  Second, some counties – mine included – offer a service to alert you if someone tries to take your title.  This is mostly likely all you will ever need to do.  Title fraud is possible, but not very likely.  That means the category is very profitable for the insurance company, assuming people will plunk down money for a policy.  The TV ads are scary, you know, but that’s a not a reason to purchase the product.

The “emergency medical kit” is an especially stupid idea. 

What these TV “doctors” are telling you is that you should purchase a kit with a variety of medications that you will most likely never use, and that all have expiration dates.  And then, when you feel ill, you must self-diagnose, and then take a chance on using the drugs in the kit.  Thank you – no!  Every time I feel bad enough to go to the doctor, I think I know what’s wrong.  But that’s never what’s wrong.  I’m not a doctor, and therefore, I will call or see an actual doctor when I’m ill.  That way, I can get a real diagnosis, and be prescribed medicine in the right amount from someone who has been to medical school.  So, ixnay on the emergency medical kit.

The University of Texas Tower on June 10, 2017. (Photo by Lynn Woolley for WBDaily.

It’s the same thing with politically correct college courses.

It’s a free country and if you want to take these courses, you can.  But you will pay for them through your student loans, and you might want to consider what the payback will be.

Note that the race-based curriculum is no longer a guaranteed lead-in to a cushy job as a “diversity director” since most of those department have been abolished.  Why?  Because they made universities and companies look somewhat dumb, and expended massive amounts of money without bringing in any revenue.  In other words, they were worthless.  All outgo with no income.  And that’s in addition to being essentially racist, which is something universities preach against.

Video:  Here’s a video from one of the professors suing the Texas A&M system.

Here’s what’s on the website of Texas A&M University, as of this writing.

The website offers this discipline of study:

University Studies – BS, Race, Gender, Ethnicity Concentration – Students develop in-depth understanding of race, gender and ethnicity through an individualized, inquiry-rich program that integrates multiple disciplines.

The summary of these courses would need a translation to English for people outside of academia.

This area of concentration is purposefully designed to require that students complete an individualized body of coursework that educates them in interdisciplinary knowledge. Inquiry-rich, research-based courses in multiple disciplines, along with senior-level courses provide students with in-depth understanding of the methodologies appropriate to interdisciplinary studies in the Race, Gender, Ethnicity Concentration. Other course offerings are drawn from areas such as Global Studies, Africana Studies, Jewish Studies, and Latino/a and Mexican-American Studies.

 Say, what?  What the hell is an in-depth understanding of the methodologies appropriate to interdisciplinary studies and who cares?  How does this help you get a job in an era where wokeness is on the way out?

But there’s more academic gobbledygook:

The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree differs from the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in being more focused on problem solving and analysis of data in examining major social and cultural issues. The BS degree, therefore, requires more courses in science and encourages statistics and mathematics. In addition to a core of courses focused on race, ethnicity and gender, each student must complete two minors for the degree. It is expected that at least one minor will be from outside the College of Arts and Sciences.  A student enrolled in the University Studies concentration of Race, Gender, Ethnicity may not pursue a double major or a double degree.

Isn’t it comforting to know that you can get a grievance degree either as a Bachelor of Science or as a Bachelor of Arts?  What I get from these descriptions is that people who believe that the United States is a racist country that was conceived in the original sin of slavery will come out absolutely convinced that’s the case.  And all they can do with such a degree is teach that racist crap to other people.  Let’s hope Senate Bill 37 does away with this insanity.

Texas A&M isn’t alone.

Dr. Leonard Bright from the ACLU Texas website (Fair Use)

The University of Houston is looking to downgrade its core-course menu from 241 to 144, losing such courses as climate change and LGBTQ studies.  The University of Texas may cut more than 100 core courses as they remake their curriculum since the provost’s office decided the courses were too narrow.   The courses set for the chopping block would be much the same as what’s being dropped at Texas A&M.

Texas, to its credit, will instead offer courses that on the surface make a lot more sense.  These include Western Civilization, American politics, world politics and cultures, science, computer science and AI, and (best of all) “Great Questions of Human Life.”   Assuming the professors teaching these courses don’t warp them back into what they’re not supposed to be, each of these classes is a big step up.

Of course, left-wing professors and their organization are suing.

 The lawsuit was filed on August 4 of this year by four A&M System professors and the American Association of University Professors to try to block these courses from being downgraded. One of those four is Leonard Bright, who heads the AAUP chapter at Texas A&M.  He called the new policy an “overreaction” to Senate Bill 37.

Bright is quoted as saying:

This is a political decision.  You are basically telling us now that that globalness it once valued and said that it was going to protect is no longer a priority…they’re going to whitewash our programs. 

Bright went on to say that he’s concerned that students may not be prepared for life without these courses.  According to Bright, they are “foundational” to their understanding of the world.

Given his position and his stated beliefs, what else would you expect him to say?

Lynn Woolley is a Texas-based author, broadcaster, and songwriter.  Follow his podcast at https://www.PlanetLogic.us.  Check out his author’s page at https://www.Amazon.com/author/lynnwoolley.  Order books direct from Lynn at https://PlanetLogicPress.Square.Site. 

Email Lynn at lwoolley9189@gmail.com.

No wokeness in this book.  Zero wokeness.  It is safe to read without indoctrination.