Freedom of Thought in Modern Education
Exploring the unintended consequences of coercive teaching practices.
Freedom of Conscience and Religion in Public Schools
While strongly opposed to public school-sponsored prayer on the ground that the imposition of collective prayer is coercive and therefore in conflict with the principle of freedom of conscience, I do, of course, respect the right of individual prayer. I also encourage other non-aggressive expression of religious belief in public schools. In this case, on the ground that such expression is entirely consistent with the principle of freedom of conscience. And though an agnostic myself, weary of implausible creeds, weary of organized religious presumption, and weary of that standard family value that made a charade of this freethinker’s formative years, I am not opposed to religious clubs in public schools. As long as such associations are extracurricular. As long as such associations agree to respect the civil liberties of those in school who do not share their beliefs. (Just the same should apply to secular humanist clubs.)
Entering the Multicultural Education Course
The question of prayer in school incurred an astonishing twist when I found myself in a course on multicultural education. While hardly a radical cultural relativist, I must acknowledge that the course in multiculturalism was often right in its illumination of the wrongs of ethnocentric arrogance and other forms of bigotry. But once again there were misunderstandings arising out of trendy methodology, that apparently unrelenting preoccupation of schools of education.
Group Research and the Mandate of “Creativity”
We broke into groups to research various minority cultures for later presentations to the class. While choices among the groups and topics were kindly allowed this time, there were certain bothersome requirements appearing in the syllabus—one of which was an emphasis on something that goes under the name of “creativity.” There is, to be sure, magnificent creativity in this world. But riding on its coattails there is something of a lesser sort that F. Scott Fitzgerald has aptly disparaged as “that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name of the ‘creative temperament.’” Grades on creativity are invitations to hackneyed versions of the latter. The course in question weighted the group creativity score with enough points to tweak a close call on a student’s final course grade. From that of a B to an A. Wearisome versions of group creativity should well be expected in the face of such an incentive.
Creativity by Committee
I had the good fortune to get off with a light sentence this time. Despite my objections to the artificialities involved, the group determined that a television quiz show format would be just the thing with which to enliven our presentation, one on which, with all their wondrous love of learning soaring high, they conferred the title “Know Your Culture.” Another performing-seal routine, this was the essence of their bid for the creativity grade. They lectured me on the importance of working as a team for this—and made short work of my dissent by pointing out that I offered no alternative suggestion as to how to collect the allotted points. (My only potential ally was unfortunately absent from the crucial meeting.)
Serious Content Beneath the Gimmick
I don’t know for sure if creativity by committee is an absolute oxymoron, but I’ve never encountered any evidence to indicate otherwise in the ways and means of academic ingratiation. The silliness was bearable this time, however, and so I decided to resign myself to the will of the group majority, having been satisfied that the remainder of the plan would allow us to be serious about our chosen topic: Vietnamese Americans. My own presentation addressed the Vietnamese refugee experience, most notably the story of onetime National Liberation Front enthusiast Doan Van Toai—his shocked disillusionment with communism after the fall of Saigon. Our presentation turned out well enough on balance.
“Immersing” the Class in Culture
The course outline also directed each group to “immerse the class in the totality of the culture” chosen for presentation. As a member of the audience one night for a group presentation on Saudi Arabians (this incidentally several years prior to 9/11/01), I was quietly enjoying what I naturally assumed to be “the right to be let alone”—that famous Justice Brandeis phrase. Then suddenly someone torpedoed this reasonable expectation with another one of those blunders apparently symptomatic of youth in confusing environments.
Compliance, Discomfort, and Silent Resistance
Quite surprised, I would be, if actual Muslims had appreciated the sight of such an imposture. Somewhat less surprising, on the other hand, was the spinelessness of a number of students—in-service teachers among them—who, in kindly discomfort, or perhaps with their grades in mind, slid from their chairs and planted their knees on the floor: a picture if ever there was one fit to grace the cover of that well-named treatise on that sad condition the authors aptly termed “other-directedness,” The Lonely Crowd.
An Improvised Prayer Exercise
A young and mostly blonde American woman, certainly not a Muslim herself, took it upon herself to try to lead the class in the physical motions of Muslim prayer. Yes—she kneeled upon a mat for prayer, something that her husband had acquired on a stint in Saudi Arabia, and then explained that she intended this to be an “interactive” class activity. Choreographic presumption had found itself a new frontier. She hoped the rest of us would join her in this active-learning exercise to broaden our multicultural horizons.
Refusal and Aftermath
A number of others and I refused to budge from our seats—and now comes a moment in the story where memory is incomplete for the lack of calm observation. On finding the scene unbearable, I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling and stayed that way in a look of total exasperation. (I do assume the professor, beyond my field of vision, remained a non-participant, though later he left me speechless when he stated that he had no problem with the invitation to such an activity as that in his class.) A fleeting recollection from the fringe of my upset view informs me that she discontinued her worship service, this perhaps a concession to my silent but unmistakable protest.
