In January of this year, State Representative Emory Dunahoo, R-Gillsville requested that all schools within the University System of Georgia answer the following questions:
- Are any classes within the Georgia public school system or the University System of Georgia teaching students that possessing certain characteristics inherently designates them as either being “privileged” or “oppressed?”
- Are any classes within the Georgia public school system or the University System of Georgia teaching students what constitutes “privilege” and “oppression?”
- Are any classes within the Georgia public school system or the University System of Georgia teaching students who identify as white, male, heterosexual, or Christian are intrinsically privileged and oppressive, which is defined as “malicious or unjust” and “wrong?”
The System determined we had a legal responsibility to respond to these questions. This happened in the context of greater surveillance in higher education nationwide--from “watch lists” purporting to out “liberal” professors or a recent bill in Florida, that has passed the legislature and is being considered by the Governor, which purports to protect “ideological freedom” and allows students to secretly record professors but which critics argue stifles free speech and intellectual freedom.
In this particular discussion, we are going to explore our reactions to the overtly politicized questions from the Georgia State Legislature and how it has impacted our, or our colleagues, teaching.
