Wednesday, April 16, 2008

America: A Great Nation


This is an image of a college campus somewhere in the United States.

Do our colleges make the U.S. a great nation? Should college be a goal for everyone? What do you say to critics who claim colleges are places that teach our young people to hate America with extreme ideas?

Other wordless entries can be found here

3 comments:

Georgia Road Geek said...

I take issue with the idea that all colleges teach their students to hate America.

North Georgia College (now North Georgia College and State University) never taught me to hate America. I was in the Corps of Cadets all 4 years (1982-1986) I was there and I can say that NGC always emphasized a love for our great nation and a reverence for those who paid the ultimate sacrifce for all our freedoms.

EHT said...

Hi Georgia Road Geek from one Ga. blogger to another. I'm glad to know you drive by occasisionally, and I appreciate your comment.

I don't think the extreme ideas were so much the norm in the 80s when you and I began our college careers, but it has been my experience through comments made by many young people I converse with that complain about college professors with an agenda be it liberal or conservative and don't like to be contradicted.

Since your school is so influenced by the military I would expect you to have the kind of education that you did.

I began my college days in a small Methodist college in north Ga.----Reinhardt. Did it tout the Methodist philosophy? Of course it did, but all of my classes were general information....not biased by the professor.

Fourteen years later I went back for my 4 year degree and noticed a marked difference. Later when I completed my Masters the situation of extreme views was even worse in my opinion.

Today, my son is at a small Baptist college in north Georgia. Do they tout the Baptist philiosphy? Of course, however, dissention is often looked down upon by professors, and since my son questions everything he is often wondering if it will have an effect on his grade. His friends who attend much larger universities report more extreme and widespread situations where class lectures are merely harangues to indoctrinate students in a particular way of thought.

No, not all American universities and colleges have this problem, but unfortunately 20 years after our stint in higher education began it does exist in my opinion.

Kristin said...

Hi. No, our colleges do not make America great -- in fact, I believe that too many of them do our country -- and children -- a disservice. Not necessary and too often a waste of time and money.

Anyway, an opinion from another history major (secondary ed.)

Great blog!