Sunday, March 6, 2011

New Threats to Freedom - College Censorship


New Threat to Freedom – College Censorship
                In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.” – Mark Twain. For a school board, public or private, secondary or university; to actively censor and silence topics in need of debate and discussion amongst its students and professors grossly infringes upon principles of the First Amendment – Freedom of Religion, Press and Expression; hindering the education and intellectual development of millions of students.
            Many of the current issues arising in the political and economic realms of society are caused by a lack of debate between its members, as well as more time spent on adequate research and development into mutually beneficial solutions. Learning how to debate and analyze sensitive topics that warrant further discussion, is dependent on the protection of free speech for both students and professors. The most valuable, beneficial, and professional arena to debate sensitive topics (that may affect millions of people) is the university classroom. To censor such a susceptible area of intellectual discussion gravely hinders the creativity and understanding that is so essential to the development of human ingenuity and innovation.
            As a former student of the University of Northern Colorado, I felt that the professors of the university were very open to ideas and concepts, would professionally challenge students to defend his/her position, were aware and protective the a humans rights to free speech. Every year or two, the university staff would allow an anti-abortion rights group to peaceably assemble to discuss their view on pro-life topics. Members of this group were very open and respectable towards other students; and actively engaged students in intellectual discussions. Even if member of each paradigm do not agree on the same conclusion, they foster a greater understanding of the opposing side. Freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and press can only be expressed when it is not censored by provisions/principles of the college or university.
            It is the sensitive, humanistic, political, social, and intellectual topics of society that warrant further discussion and debate amongst all supporters and orators of liberty, wisdom, and understanding. The essential nature of one’s freedom of speech and expression is the foundation of knowledge – creator of the institutions of education. When an individual loses his/her rights to free speech in a college or university, him /her loses the heart and soul of knowledge. Peace and moral understanding cannot be achieved the important topics that warrant further discussion are censored by universities or governments.
            It is not just freedom of speech and expression that is at stake when colleges/universities censor material professors, and students; it is the liberty of human thought and ingenuity. It is critical to the intellectual development of the human species to be allowed unlimited access to information, allowed the right to discuss and dispute sensitive topics that warrant further discussion, and to do the latter without censorship or threat of censorship. Freedom and liberty will die when the moral concept of free speech ceases to exist in colleges/universities.

New Threats to Freedom - Freedom to Fail


New Threats to Freedom – Freedom to Fail
                Failure, a fundamental aspect of human innovation and ingenuity, is paramount in the neurological development of the brain and the education of millions of students throughout the world. Failure is essential to success, because without failure there is no possible way to measure/compare success.
                Failure is critical to the education of humanity because it allows for students to 1) accept responsibility and understand errors that were made, and 2) develop the skills necessary to cultivate his/her scholastic areas of inferiority as well as superiority. These two aspects of failure are vital to developing a highly educated, innovative, and productive society. A student will never learn how continuously develop his/her unique talents, skills, and abilities if he/she never understands how critical, “failure” is to the experience of learning.
                The primary basis for the current educational system of “learning” emphasizes concepts and theories based on studies conducted by Behaviorists Dr. Ivan Pavlov and Dr. B.F. Skinner. “Operant Conditioning” Pavlov (1890) – is a behavioral/learning method that utilizes pleasurable and adverse stimuli; to elicit a desired response by the Experimenter. When applied to the education system, Pavlovian Operant Conditioning is the basis for the grading system, and a schools graduate/failure rate. When a student is punished (adverse stimuli) for failure, however still advances through the school system (perceived social reward) – the conditioned response of the student is the feeling of reward based on a failure, WITHOUT critical the introspection vital to the learning and development process.  B.F. Skinner theorized that “negative reinforcement” is the strengthening of behavior by strengthening the avoidance of some adverse stimuli. Skinners influence on teaching states – “failing to adapt learning tasks to the student’s current level” (The Technology of Teaching), and “failing to provide positive reinforcement frequently enough” (The Technology of Teaching) are critical factors in the education of students and the development of learning skills.
                We can clearly see that education and behavior are contingent upon the negative and positive reinforcement students receive from educators is critical in how they learn the material presented to them. If students lose the freedom to fail, and to have the support they need to overcome that failure; they will never learn the material that is necessary to achieve their scholastic and career goals. When students are provided no positive reinforcement to learn from their mistakes, and yet are passed along the education system; the result is students turn out to be disinterested and apathetic, eventually becoming so discouraged they give up learning and personal development all together. Such a belief in learning will inevitably destroy human innovation, ingenuity, and creativity that are critical to a productive society. It is the responsibility for parents and teachers to emphasize the importance of learning from failure, to develop a learning system the gives students the freedom to fail, and provide the resources necessary to aid students in overcoming failure.
                Because humans are able to experiment with their environment, they are prone to failure and success. Only when students are allowed the freedom to fail, then encouraged (with assistance from parents and teachers) to develop the necessary skills to overcome said failures can true learning begin.

- Weston L. Zink