Aimee Garibay just finished her sophomore year and took many core classes this past semester. She feels that much of what her professors taught went beyond curriculum and more into their opinion. Many of her instructors have been very loud about their opinions, including announcing what political party they belong to. Aimee feels uncomfortable expressing opposite opinions and that her thoughts will not be appreciated or taken well. Since professors have control over grades, she fears that expressing differing opinions will be taken out on her grade. She acknowledged that humans have bias, and grading can be very subjective, especially in essay assignments. If the professor feels so strongly in their views that they flat out say it, it is very understandable to think that opposing views may be accepted. There is less balance of different ideas being exchanged in her academic setting. Aimee described how this teaching style results in a class discussion version of a mob mentality, which makes her feel that she would be ganged up on if she expressed a different view. She does not want to create conflict or have people get the wrong idea about her. It is hard because even in a class when her grade is dependent on participation, she feels like she cannot say what she really thinks. This pressure to censor comes from both the professor and her peers.
Aimee has expressed frustration that so much content is being politicized. Not only that, she has felt that facts have been twisted to uphold a certain narrative. In one of her classes, the subject of gun control came up. Her professor, who is also a counselor, said that mass shooters do not have mental illness and that the problem lies with guns. There was no discussion about why this may not be the case, or even that there is more to the story than this statement. Aimee questions where the curriculum ended and where the professor’s opinions began. Misleading information about an ideology has been said and without discussion to correct or offer a different opinion, a bigger divide is created. Aimee said that this is a free country and that everyone can do or think what they want, and she is open to learning different perspectives. She was taught to respect others and their views, unfortunately that is not always necessarily reciprocated. Aimee gets frustrated by how others believe that what they think is the only correct way.