Term paper about "God" earns student failing grade

[GAC]

Jesus Christ was also available, Heavenly Father, Jehovah, the Almighty, the Holy one of Israel, the Creator, etc. I think she is looking for a fight instead of genuine concern for her grade. Maybe a little remembrance of "wise as serpents...harmless as doves" would have helped her to consider synonyms, but then I'm thinking there might have been an agenda at work here. More confusion about the two kingdoms again.

While I agree. Do you think this teacher would have approved the paper even then if she had used such definitive terms that really single a person, such as Jesus Christ, rather then a "generic" term "God"?

What if she was a Muslim and wanted right about the effects of Islam on the development of the Middle East, and he stipulated "No mention of big 'G' gods, i.e., one, true god argumentation."

I'm so tired of this "offend argument".

But this part really confounds me...

Hauf's teacher approved her term paper topic — Religion and its Place within the Government — on one condition: Don't use the word God.

Yes. One can write this paper and not use the word "God". It's not impossible. Just silly and ridiculous. It defintely would be an incomplete paper lacking in much substance and validity though IMO.

He wouldn't be able to give her a "D" because that might be construed to stand for Deity. A "C" might stand for Christ. Or an "A" for Almighty.

[GAC]

Only that wasn't the topic of her paper. The topic which the teacher approved was "Religion and its Place within the Government". And certainly she should have been able to write a paper on that topic that didn't contain the word "God."

No one is saying it couldn't have been done. The stipulation made by the teacher is simply absurb. Why so narrow-minded and restrictive approach by this teacher? I could probably accept this teacher's stipulations if it were for some other reason (scholastic, etc); but - "He said it would offend others in class"

That's scholarly.

[registerthis]

No one is saying it couldn't have been done. The stipulation made by the teacher is simply absurb. Why so narrow-minded and restrictive approach by this teacher? I could probably accept this teacher's stipulations if it were for some other reason (scholastic, etc); but - "He said it would offend others in class"

That's scholarly.

Well, as has been postulated by others on this thread, most likely it was because he didn't want her examination of the topic to be influenced by her belief in the Christian God, as an examination of religion and its place within government would surely extend beyond the constraints of a study of Christianity and the U.S. government.

Besides, as has been pointed out here numerous times (by myself and others), no one was forcing her to write on this topic. If she found the instructions too constraining, she could have easily selected another topic.

[RollyInRaleigh]

How many other people were going to read the paper to be offended by it? Pretty obvious to me that the only person offended was the person that had to read and grade the paper. So what if she used the word "God" in her paper on religion. I don't think it was going to change anyone's opinion on the topic. I agree with GAC. Silly and ridiculous. Very petty. Plenty of students write a lot of term papers that are controversial in nature. I'm sure this one is not the first one that this instructor has read. Was the paper well written and of substance? That should be the reason for the excercise and the only reason to grade it, one way or another.

[Chip R]

It may be silly and ridiculous but those were the rules that the teacher set down in advance. Anyone can write a paper about religion and mention God. But it takes a lot of thought and effort to do it and not mention God. It'd be like trying to write something without using "a" or "the". Yeah, it's silly and ridiculous but it makes you think.

[traderumor]

Imagine. A college professor being petty and ridiculous. I never encountered that at tOSU

[savafan]

What is laughable is her intentionally thumbing her nose at the directions of her professor, then whining to a reporter about being the victim. It's why I detest the "Christian Victim" role that so many of them like to play.

What is truly laughable is liberal college professors forcing their views on students on college campuses all across this country. You can't disagree with their views if you want to pass the class.

From where I'm sitting, instructors in a state or community educational institution establishing their beliefs and views above all others is a violation of the seperation of church and state.

[westofyou]

Yeah, it's silly and ridiculous but it makes you think.

Outside of your own reality.

And that's what teaching is all about.

[savafan]

How many other people were going to read the paper to be offended by it?

I'd also like to know how many other people in that class were restricted with what words they could use in their papers.

[westofyou]

I'd also like to know how many other people in that class were restricted with what words they could use in their papers.

They all were ... they all couldn't use the word God.

It's an intellectual exercise.... it's what they do in college.

[traderumor]

This actually has nothing to do with the freedom of speech and/or the freedom from governmental interference in the exercise of religion. It has to do with following the rules. There are a lot of things being done that single out the freedom to express Christian ideals in the marketplace of ideas, but this is one of the lamer cases I've seen. I can't understand why the ACLJ is wasting resources on it, to be honest. The ACLU has no interest because no rights were violated. She deserved to be marked down as spelled out in the instructions.

[registerthis]

What is truly laughable is liberal college professors forcing their views on students on college campuses all across this country. You can't disagree with their views if you want to pass the class.

So...she had to subscribe to the belief that there is no God?

Or, she only had to write a paper about religion that didn't use the word "God." That isn't forcing your views on anything.

From where I'm sitting, instructors in a state or community educational institution establishing their beliefs and views above all others is a violation of the seperation of church and state.

I would agree if that's what he was doing. He wasn't.

Again, I ask (since no one answered the first two times it was brought up): Would people be this up-in-arms about unfair constraints if the student was writing about the effect of technology in our world, and was forbidden from using the word "computer"? What if the student was to write about the profound effect of differing modes of transportation without using the word "car"? How about th role of electricity in our society,without mentioning "light bulb"?

But I keep forgetting, the world is out to get the Christian, and this is just another example of that.

[savafan]

Again, I ask (since no one answered the first two times it was brought up): Would people be this up-in-arms about unfair constraints if the student was writing about the effect of technology in our world, and was forbidden from using the word "computer"? What if the student was to write about the profound effect of differing modes of transportation without using the word "car"? How about th role of electricity in our society,without mentioning "light bulb"?

No. I asked how many other people in the class were restricted with what words they could use in their papers and westofyou said:

They all were ... they all couldn't use the word God.

It's an intellectual exercise.... it's what they do in college.

Well, that doesn't work for me. If another student was writing a report on the effect of technology in our world and wasn't allowed to use the word "God", I doubt that would make much difference to them. Or a report about the profound effect of differing modes of transportation without use of the word "God" is a rather silly limitation. Here's the thing. If she's the only person singled out, then it's wrong. And if she is, then it is a case of a liberal professor trying to further his beliefs.

[westofyou]

Well, that doesn't work for me

Then don't take the class.

[bucknutdet]

West of You,

You have no proof that was the case, simply guessing.