You have to wonder who in a college administration looks at a proposal for such a course and then approves it.

Jane S. Shaw of the John William Pope center reports.

Smash the Rich!

A year ago, Duke Cheston of the Pope Center criticized a class in political science at North Carolina State University. Because its presentation of the American political system was clearly biased, his story was titled “Evil Republicans 101.” Now we have come across another section of the same course taught by a different instructor. It, too, is riddled with one-sided education about the American government. Because of its focus on class divisions, it might be called “What Can We Do to Level Incomes and Restore the Progressive Agenda?”

Let me begin by saying that writing this article is not an enjoyable task for me. Personally, I don’t like the idea of showing that instructors in North Carolina colleges and universities are letting their preferences overwhelm their objectivity. But this example is so illustrative of political bias that I feel obligated to report on it.

The class was an online section of Political Science 201, American Politics and Government, one of nine sections taught this spring. The course is the basic introductory class for potential political science majors, although it also serves as a general education course.

Professor David Garson, the instructor, is not actually in the political science department. He is a full professor of public administration who has received a number of distinguished awards from his peers. The student who brought this online class to our attention praised him for answering questions promptly, although the student also noted that otherwise the professor did not take an active role. There were no lectures, and he rarely intervened in the online discussions.

Students read a chapter per week from the textbook Government by the People by David B. Magleby, Paul C. Light, and Christine L. Nemacheck. In addition, a weekly reading was posted online, along with a variety of links under categories such as “Interesting Websites” and “Politics in Action.” Those supplemental readings are what were so disturbing.