Brad Rosenheim (@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social)

1y

I train scientists in a graduate program. I just read my course evaluations, and I was shocked at how much the politicizing of science has already reached the students that I had always presumed were in our program to see through that politicization.

I'm also in #Florida, where the government is putting tremendous pressure on #AcademicFreedom with its laws to censor academics (we no longer have tenure, we have to teach what the government agrees with, etc.). Here is the story:

#Science
#Politics
#COVID
#oceanography
#GraduateSchool
#ScienceVersusBeliefs

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1y

"Brad can be a bit political, and this runs over into his class more than one would probably like to admit."

This was the beginning of an evaluation in which a student was surprised (offended) that I asked the class to consider masking for when I lecture. You see, we had just had an outbreak about a year ago - class attendance was flagging, down to 50% on some days. We had an exam where several students had asked for accommodations to take the exam remotely due to illness, and one of them reported a positive COVID test result. We decided (course is team taught) at the last minute (10pm the night before the exam when the COVID test was reported to us) that we could not with good conscience force students to sit in a crowded classroom for two hours together for this exam, especially because the students had not been wearing masks and the State of Florida forbid us to require masks. We were handcuffed.

#masks
#COVID
#outbreak

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1y

We gave the test electronically, and there allegations of cheating. It was a mess. In the end we did not have enough evidence for academic review, as some students who brought forth the allegations did not want to present evidence and be named in the investigation. But there was a feeling that some students got away with behavior against the code of conduct for our university, and that is understandable. There was a divide.

And I was the next lecturer to take over the course...

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1y

So, to stem the spread of illness in outlets class and to try to teach a month's worth of effective lectures, I decided to toe the line and send an email out asking the students to consider masking in class. Now, this was a risk. It was against state law and university guidelines to mandate masking. But I thought, "These are students training to be scientists. I can witte an appeal that is apolitical and relies on the information out there to allow them to make a better situation." My announcement to the class is in the highlighted section below, from a negative evaluation I received (the only one bringing up this communication). It is posted in the student's evaluation to attempt to add what they viewed as me breaking the law into a record of my teaching. And that's fine - I wrote this knowing that it could be half against me. (I have attached the same image three times below to accommodate the alt text in totality, because I don't think screen readers would be able to read the photographed text.)

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Photograph of a computer screen showing a student evaluation of teaching. The evaluation text has part of it highlighted in yellow. The highlighted part is my original communication to the class, which is obvious in the text below.

Start of photographed text: Brad was a good instructor. He is knowledgeable about geology, and it is clear he wants his students to succeed. However, Brad can be a bit political, and this runs over into his class more than one would probably like to admit. After a student came down with COVID-19, Brad emailed the class and passively aggressively blamed us for the situation because we had not been wearing masks in class (as if it would matter anyways since we are all in contact outside of class, too). This email was sent just after a student had tested positive, and it was clearly directed at them (no matter what Brad might tell you to defend himself). The email was political, belittling (insinuating that we are not capable of making our own decisions about masking), and disrespectful. Brad can have his opinions, but he should not be allowed to to guilt them onto the rest of the class. I will attach his words below. "Hi everyone - One of the great things about living in Florida, and something you will hear over and over from our leaders in the next few years, is the immense amount of freedom that is given to us as Floridians. Included in those freedoms is the freedom to wear a mask when in shared spaces like classrooms, among many, many other...

ALT

Continued from last caption:
".. that is given to us as Floridians. Included in those freedoms is the freedom to wear a mask when in shared spaces like classrooms, among many, many other freedoms. We have struggled with attendance over the past few weeks, yet exercising this freedom may help everyone out. Our expression of this freedom is likely hindered by some common fallacies going around, which are potentially more bothersome than the various bugs that we all seem to be catching:

We need to be infected to avoid infection. Yes, many believe this. But that sentence doesn't even make sense. If you truly want to avoid being infected with something, getting infected is not the best first step.

Infections make us stronger. Your immune system doesn't need the "exercise" of constant infection to keep it busy and strong. In fact, the opposite is true. And there is ample evidence that a certain bug

Links to an external site. that has infected a lot of us recently actually weakens our immune systems so that other bugs like RSV, monkeypox, herpes, etc. can then run amok.

The recent viral pandemic is over. This may not seem controversial at all; two very different presidential administrations have told us this, so there must be some veracity to it. Right? 583 Floridians

Links to an external site. ...

ALT

died of this virus in the past two weeks and more than 1800 deaths Links to an external site. from this certain virus were reported just yesterday in the United States. When we commemorate the 2606 souls lost in the World Trade Center attacks Links to an external site. every September 11, I think of these numbers. Furthermore, we have lost 1.13 million people in the U.S. to this virus Links to an external site.. When we commemorate the up to 850,000 Americans lost

Links to an external site.to all of our combined wars since 1775 every May for Memorial Day, I will always think of these numbers.

It is a strange time we live in. There is almost as much misinformation flying around as there are viruses. Just remember your freedoms include the ability to mask up to protect yourselves from infection.

(This announcement reflects the thoughts and opinions of Dr. Rosenheim and was neither endorsed by or shared with the other professors or TA prior to posting.)
"
Many students felt pressured by this message and felt as if they needed to wear a mask in class.or be judged by Dr. Rosenheim. I am not saying he is a bad professor, but politics should stay out of the classroom, and I would like to see it addressed in regards to Brad's comments.

ALT

Edited 1y ago

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1y

@Brad_Rosenheim I hope that student gets poor marks. In fact, I suspect they already do.

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