I fear Caltech is one of the very few educational institutions that kept its scientific integrity in the last decade. Even Princeton is seeming going down in the woke wake. Unfortunately, Caltech is not for everyone in terms of work and dedication involved. Which presents a difficult dilemma for the graduating high school students: where do you even apply for the undergrad studies?
Just get your mind out of the culture wars, I guess. I went to one of these schools and was fine just putting my head down and studying. People are way too overconcerned over these things that don't really matter at all. The idea that "cancellation" is anything new is an example of a "stupid" idea.
At my school, for instance, some people will get "cancelled" who I don't think should get cancelled (Chelsea Manning), others will get "cancelled" rightfully in my mind (Milo Yiannopoulos, maybe Charles Murray but haven't thought too much about it). This is nothing even remotely new, and I don't pay it too much mind - regardless of which faction is getting cancelled today.
Don’t assume my mind is in the culture wars. I don’t care about people you mentioned above. I care about academic and research integrity of our institutions.
Okay? I don't think that there is any unique attack on academic and research integrity of our institutions. If those institutions could survive jim crow, etc. I'm guessing they can survive whatever is happening right now.
I heard teachers are so scared of being vilified by students, they don't bother to state a fact, or even argue anymore.
It's not just an argument in class; it's plastered all over the internet and could have far reaching future problems for their future.
I like the fact students have more of a say.
In my day, I had a chemistry teacher harrass me to the point I needed to change schools. I remember going to a school counselor, and the counselor said, "Dr. Bezergian is crazy, and you are the type he likes to go after. At the time, I didn't understand "the type". It turns out he would make life in his class difficult if certain students that didn't return his advances. I started putting it all together when I was in a bar celebrating finishing second semester of Organic Chem. after enrolling in a different college. I was giving my usual Dr. Berzergian stories. A guy from another table chimed in and knew the PhD. He filled me in on his personality picadillos.
My point is even if we had the internet back then I probally wouldn't have said anything about the guy, but the other guys who had to switch schools for chem, or just drop out of college, probally would have posted something about the man. Hell, we woukd probally have our tuition paid over his sexuality and the way he tried to get his dates?
I lost my point.
I guess it's just discussing topics in class shouldn't be posted on the internet, unless those topics are causing damage to the students. I guess we will argue over whats bad enough to ruin a teacher's reputation in school, and socially?
