[Tiva]

It is that time of the year again, elections..... *sighs* If you are out of high school they pound on you the importance of voting but should politics really be involved in the classroom?

I am an anthropology student and one of my cultural Anthro teachers started a political rant about Obama in the classroom and was bashing the former presidents, namely the Bush presidents, while endorsing Clinton and Obama. I normally just tune it out but we have a few people in the active military in our class.

In the military you can't really say anything against the current president in public, or it could be considered treason, and the former presidents... it is a thin line. Most people just stick with shutting their mouths and not giving an opinion. But our professor, who was formerly drafted in the Military, was bashing a few former presidents and the current republican candidate. They were getting increasingly uncomfortable, and couldn't say anything. I ended up walk out of class because of how pissed at him I was.

But this past class period he started on the 'Lets bash Romney' rant again. I spoke up and stated that current politics and personal opinions don't belong in a class room where everyone can't give an opinion. He shot me down and continued his rant before letting us out early.

One of my former classmates who is now in graduate school apparently got a simliar rant today

Paul Martin
Probably shouldn't have done it, but walked out of class...at 35 years old I do not need to be lectured on the importance of voting or how to register to vote...teach anthropology already!

Additionally, I am more than aware of the struggle for voters rights and that men and women died to help ensure that all adults that had not been convicted of a felony could legally vote.

Ok, enough of my ranting! Time to write...

What is your opinion on politics in the classroom? And should students who can't speak up have the right to walk out of class without consequence? Should teachers even be allowed to give an opinion in their class times? Have you dealt with something like this before?

[Yokuutsu]

Politics is an important thing. There is no specific class to talk about it (And I don't count PoliSci. I took it, but it was talking about government and the like) So I think it depends on the professor. Sometimes they want it in for educational purposes maybe not related to the class. As in, they want you to know what's going on. And walking out of a class without consequence? I think not. If a person doesn't want to participate, they can sit there and not participate. Though they could talk to them after class and if the professor does not respect him, go above him.

That's my theory on it.

[Belial]

I think that while we don't have to agree with everyone regarding politics, we also have to be mature and let people have their opinions.

You handled it as best you could.

I've seen people end close friendships over politics and it shows how shallow they are. My mother is upset that I am not voting for Romney but no matter how much she bashes my choice and tell me I am "wasting my vote" , I won't bash hers.

[Zerook]

Depends on the topic really.

We rarely go into political debates but often do have debates. For us, we do talk a lot about politics but it would be incorrect for us to side with party lines because we're in the international business field and every political system affects us.

Teachers can give their opinion if there's a time and place for it. If they're just ranting with no true point to it then no.

[Lestrade]

If I were in a class where a teacher was ranting their political beliefs that I found bothersome, and it had nothing to do with the supposed topic of the class, I would probably walk out too. I'm glad I've never had that happen. On a semi-related note when I worked as a cashier for some reason total strangers would sometimes talk politics to me just assuming I agreed with them (and for some reason they were always super-conservative). I usually just said something neutral because I didn't want to start anything while I was trying to just do my job, but it was pretty awful.

I appreciate the right to vote but boy, do I hate election season. I've known how I was going to vote since... well. Pretty much forever. I don't need lectures, phone calls, ads, and debates to sway me.

[Hikori]

well... from what i recall it isn't really allowed in some schools to speak of politics, but i'm not lawyer or anything so don't go by what i said.

anyhow, i feel politics are important, but with the current election, no. i don't see why anyone should talk about this one in the classroom... it's just flat out ridiculous, unless there is something that has to do with the class directly, it shouldn't be mentioned.