For some time now, and unlike in the past, there is substantial uncertainty of the extent to which the government controls the activities of college professors. This is especially in reference to their involvement in sensitive political matters and how they conduct themselves in classroom and also the kind of articles they write for publication in the media.
College professors are increasingly being involved in sensitive political matters that have got many stakeholders wondering if the control that was previously characteristic of the government towards college professors still exists. Many people have speculated that constant legislations have empowered the American people but the possibility of an unofficial control over this group cannot be overlooked (Fischel 51). This paper is an exploration of the status quo of the infamous control over college professors and a comparison between how things are now and what they used to be in the past.
Although it is not clearly spelt out as a requirement by the law, there are a number of things that college professors are supposed to avoid as much as they can. Most of the no-go zones are skewed towards utterances that show the position of the professor as regards his/her political affiliation or even controversial political views. In almost all U.S. states, professors are very careful before they make such utterances in class or in public (Fischel 47).
The contemporary college-professor community has however adopted a different approach to the aforementioned issues. As much as the contemporary college professors are aware of their out-of-records requirement to exercise high levels of diplomacy when talking about political matters, most of them are oblivious to the requirement. They discuss highly sensitive political issues with their students in class and also write articles in newspapers that put them under political spotlight.
This was especially a problem before the enactment of the first amendment. College professors could be interdicted for making public utterances or class utterances that were political and attracted controversy and hard feelings. At that time, therefore, college professors were easily crucified for their activism in politics and thus they were supposed to maintain low profiles political wise. After the enactment of the first amendment, there was a little change in the status quo because college professors and other silenced groups got a haven in the improved legal structure. However, the pre-existent rules remained in practice although not many actions were being carried out on defaulting professors.
In the contemporary American society, therefore, professors are very careful with how they construct political criticism either in class or in their articles in the media. There seems to be an unofficial rule that governs their level of involvement in political matters (Fischel 51). It has even been alleged that the government once in a while sends student spies who are supposed to monitor the level and appropriateness of the involvement of college professors in sensitive political issues.
As evidenced in the discussion above, some substantial control over the political activism of college professors still exists but times have changed and more and more professors are being involved in these issues. The unofficial control over what college professors say has, therefore, weakened with time as more politically conscious people join colleges as professors. There has also been a revolution in the sensitization of the public about their rights and people seem to be more aware of their rights as American citizens more than ever before. The control functioned to pin American citizens down and disregard their opinions about political affairs. It is thus good that such practices are getting extinct with time.
Works Cited
Fischel, William. Congressional Record. California. Wadsworth Publishers, 2001. Print.