A Denver Metropolitan State College professor, Andrew Hallam, is being investigated for giving students a nefariously unfair assignment— deconstructing and responding to an argument! The school is currently investigating the English professor after he asked students to write an essay that would undermine the rhetoric exercised in the “fairy tale” depiction of Sarah Palin at the GOP convention. Apparently identifying weaknesses in an argument and responding to those weaknesses, is a biased assignment when it comes to republicans.
An English teacher at Denver’s Metropolitan State College is being investigated by the college for bias, bullying and harassment after he gave students in his class an assignment to “undermine” the Republican portrayal of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Metropolitan State College spokeswoman Cathy Lucas told FOXNews.com that the college has not received a formal complaint against Andrew Hallam, a professor who asked students to write an essay that would contradict the portrayal of Sarah Palin’s life as a “fairy tale”…
According to the report on WorldNetDaily.com, the assignment read: “Note her body language, facial expressions, the way she dressed, what she said and who she pointed out or talked about in her speech. How do these elements form a ‘fairy tale’ image about Sarah Palin as a person and as a politician that the Republican Party may wish its members and the American public to believe?”
After hearing from a student that some in the class were uncomfortable with the assignment, Hallam expanded it to include commentary on Barack Obama, John McCain and Joe Biden, Lucas said.
Even after amending the assignment to include undermining the myths surrounding Barack Obama, Hallam is being probed. Afterall, why teach students how to think critically or analyze rhetorical logic? Then they might not be vulnerable to wily politicians!
Share: 
Blog
Facebook
AIM
Digg
Reddit
Stumble It
Email
Report
What's the deal?
Subscribe
Post
Send
Hot Colleges
Featured Posts
Recent Comments
Blogroll
Comments
********************************************
You must be in total denial to think that democrats don't also propagate "smoke and mirrors" which requires a critical thinker in order "not (to) be vulnerable...". This is so biased it hurts- why is that acceptable? Posted 09/18/2008 5:24 PMReply
Rrrrright. It was all in the name of teaching the students critical thinking. That's why the good professor also gave the students a similar assignment for Obama... You mean he didn't? Posted 09/18/2008 5:35 PMReply
**** you democrats. Wow...I feel more educated already.
You democrats just talk shit, but we'll let you.
Does that seem like proper classroom decorum? You should research a story before just responding to it. Posted 09/18/2008 5:45 PMReply
This site's content filter doesn't even allow the comments that were allowed in the classroom. Why is that?
If the assignment and atmosphere the teacher allowed to exist is going to be debated, then stating what the teacher said and allowed to occur should be posted.
Fu ck you demoncrats. Posted 09/18/2008 5:48 PMReply
And remember kids Comrade Biden says, “It’s time to be patriotic and pay more taxes” Posted 09/18/2008 6:57 PMReply
"DENVER (CBS4) ― Metro State College is investigating a professor who asked students to write an essay critical of Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin. One student said the instructor singled out Republican students in the class and allowed others to ridicule them."
So, in addition to the assignment, he also singled out Republican students and allowed others to ridicule them. To be intellectually honest, one has to conclude that based on the CBS4 story, the professor is obviously biased.
Thus I find it hard to try to defend this professor's actions as being for a lesson in "critical thinking." Posted 09/18/2008 7:58 PMReply
I WAS HOPING I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WEIGH IN HERE AND SPEAK UP---YOU SPOKE FOR ME. HASSAM IS A A**HOLE AS WELL AS AN IDIOT.
ALL THAT IS REQUIRED TO TEACH ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS TODAY IS A MARXIST AGENDA AND NO SCRUPLES ABOUT USING YOUR FORUM TO INDOCTRINATE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.
WHAT A JERK Posted 09/18/2008 9:25 PMReply
He is probably angry that he can't get a regular teaching gig, or get on the tenure track.
BIG NOTE HERE HALLAM: YOU AIN'T EVER GONNA SEE THAT TENURE TRACK NOW! No institution of higher learning will hire anyone not smart enough to keep their bias UNDER COVER!
You are an embarrassment Hallam, and too stupid to hide your prejudice; ain't nobody gonna want you now! Maybe it's time to write that great American novel, dipweed!
Signed by scarparelli Posted 09/18/2008 10:50 PMReply
Everyone is turning this into something that isn't really the most obvious issue. A teacher, pushing his beliefs or not, assined a job to these students.
When these students get into the real work force are they going to jump up and complain about their boss the minute they don't agree with the work assignment?
And to clarify, the students that dissagreed didn't get ridiculed until after they stood up in class to complain about the assignment. Sounds to me like they lost a debate and ran to mommy and daddy to help them out. Posted 09/19/2008 01:50 AMReply
In the interest of decorum, dismiss Andrew Hallam. Refer him to a psychiatrist. Posted 09/19/2008 04:46 AMReply
For 13 years of our public school lives we are forced to learn from biased history text books about the honorable discovery by Christopher Columbus of America not mentioning that conquest, greed, brutality were his real reasons of travel and not a different spice route or a awakening of curiosity of the world. Where is the uproar about that????!!! For once in their lives students from public schools are being challenged to reanalyze their indoctrination but for some students they see this as an attack to their person. It is not an attack to their person it is a CHALLENGE to their ideas. And this is the true meaning of education.
~Peaz~ Posted 09/19/2008 12:29 PMReply
"We would rather teach them to hate those who don't agree with thier point of view because it is so much better to personally attack and demoralize someone instead of having an intelligent conversation about the issues and differences"
This from someone who regards Barack Obama as "the Monkey Show"? A bit hypocritical, don't you think? Better luck next time. Posted 09/19/2008 3:25 PMReply
THE STUDENTS THAT COMPLAINT DID A COURAGEOUS THING. GOOD JOB. Posted 09/19/2008 5:53 PMReply
If you feel that way about the USA, MOVE. We don't want your kind here. Leave this contry and move to China or N. Korea, you and your ridiculous thought process will be welcomed by those idiots.
GO GO GO. Posted 09/19/2008 8:27 PMReply
If this socialist professor wants to spout political ideology (especially this overtly) he should teach political science. I think he teaches english so he can affect the students who either dont understand the language very well, or who might not have any political leanings since he teaches freshman english. So hes taking these 17 and 18 year old kids and preaching his politics to them. He wont have the balls to have a debate with ... well anyone who understands why they believe what they believe and why they dont believe that socialism is a good thing.
Look at the comments here, they range from supporting him by picking on the kids who were singled out by their teacher for ridicule for not agreeing with the teachers politics, to calling the teacher a fascist. If this teacher needs a political debate he should call into the Rush Limbaugh radio show on his lunch break or between classes. But instead he brow beats young adults into believing what he believes.
I know that anyone who takes classes at any college is taking a risk at being indoctrinated into the liberal mindset. Its not enough that the grade schools and high schools revise history and shape the kids opinions about the world for 12 years of their lives. They also get an additional 4+ years in college when the students dont have their parents around and everyone else is liberal (or so it seems) to brain wash the kids into thinking that bigger government, higher taxes, and the loss of personal freedoms is a good thing.
Dont belive me? vote for Obama... The most liberal member of the senate and hes only been there for 4 years (and 2 of that hes been campaigning for president!). Obama picks on Mccain for voting with the republicans 90% of the time but he himself has voted with the democrats 97.8% of the time. The only time hes voted against them was when it came time to fund the troops. The man is a pox on this nation and needs to be eliminated just like this and any teacher who preaches their ideals in a class totally not related to politics. Posted 09/19/2008 8:39 PMReply
For 13 years of our public school lives we are forced to learn from biased history text books about the honorable discovery by Christopher Columbus of America not mentioning that conquest, greed, brutality were his real reasons of travel and not a different spice route or a awakening of curiosity of the world. Where is the uproar about that????!!! For once in their lives students from public schools are being challenged to reanalyze their indoctrination but for some students they see this as an attack to their person. It is not an attack to their person it is a CHALLENGE to their ideas. And this is the true meaning of education.
~Peaz~ "
you are exactly the type of person the liberal professors love. They have brain washed you into thinking that oppressing other views and singling out those who dont agree with the liberal point of view is "challenging them" ... thats not challenging someone thats a .45cal bullet away from communist "re-education". Please log off of the internet and e-cycle your computer you are no longer welcome online.
kthxbai Posted 09/19/2008 8:43 PMReply
the old barn and used a pitch fork to let him experience being a real "LIBERAL. He left and went back to some **** school. Posted 09/19/2008 11:13 PMReply
Are you going to let that politically bigoted, sorry excuse for a teacher get away with targeting conservative students to be abused with foul language by leftist students in class?
Nothing less than Hallam's immediate firing with prejudice and his apology and yours to the abused students is remotely acceptable here, if you or your college are to be known as anything other than just a coven of leftist political bigots stealing tuition money while posing as a legitimate institution of higher learning.
Will
roguebull@hotmail.com Posted 09/21/2008 11:56 AMReply
We don't need or want you. Bottom line; you may think you are part of this country ...you aren't. You just occupy space, consume food, and breath our air. You've actually convinced yourselves that you are at the top of the intellectual food chain. In truth you contribute nothing but dissention and chaos ...while spending other peoples money in "their" best interest. Your uselessness is exceeded only by your collective ego's. We know you by name and you are Milken and Nacchio to name a few. The fruits of your labors include Enron.
Leave of your own free will ...the alternative is far off, but it is coming... Posted 09/21/2008 12:52 PMReply
But then when your religion is Liberalism I can see how the distinction between objectivity and partisan thinking is unclear. Posted 09/22/2008 6:58 PMReply