“If you don’t do your work, they are going to fucking fire you.”
“If she thinks she is a dog, can she have sex with a dog?”
“Porn is where you watch two girls make out and you jerk off.”
These aren’t comments I overheard in a locker room or as part of a casual conversation with friends. These are actual comments that have been said by professors and students in some of my classes this semester. This type of language is vulgar and inappropriate for a classroom setting.
I am not a raging Puritan advocating for eliminating cursing entirely from one’s vocabulary. I use curse words too, albeit sparingly. However, the prevalence of foul language and excessively inappropriate material in my classes this semester has urged me to write a plea to both professors and students at Binghamton University to clean up their acts.
The classroom should uphold the same conduct standards as a workplace. In a workplace, employees work together on projects, learn new skills, carry out tasks independently and, most importantly, operate under a supervisor who leads them in achieving goals that ultimately benefit the company and the workers themselves. A professional atmosphere is crucial for an effective workplace. This includes proper dress, respectful conduct and appropriate language and conversation at all times. A classroom should be no different.
The professor is the most important figure in the classroom since they set the tone of the class and the boundaries for what will and will not be tolerated in a classroom.
When a teacher frequently curses, uses derogatory language and makes unnecessarily crass jokes in class, they not only make themselves look unprofessional, they also create a toxic environment in that classroom. When the tone is not serious, it extends the invitation for people to use curse words and make inappropriate comments as well. While I understand I do not speak for every student in these types of classes, I know that there is a silent majority that is also taken aback when their professor accuses them of being “too fucking bourgeoisie” or uncomfortable when a class assignment is to look up actual foreign prostitution websites on the Internet.
I understand that some students will read this article and think I’m bringing up a non-issue. Some students see nothing wrong with this type of classroom environment. I have no issue with people speaking their minds, but in a classroom setting the comfort level of those who find this language and material offensive should be taken into account.
The ability to excite and motivate students is the responsibility of a professor. They are the ones who push students to engage in new material, to ask questions and to be involved. If their teachings are watered down by using curse words to make their point, as a student I will not feel any interest nor see the importance in what we are learning. Vulgar language trivializes the material and casts the professor in a negative light. I strongly urge professors to think about how they are going to say things before they actually say them. They are supposed to be role models and can have a profound impact on a college student’s life. Wouldn’t they want to do everything in their power to make their classroom experience positive and leave a lasting legacy on people?
It’s time to clean up your act, professors.
– Miriam Wade is a junior majoring in Arabic and Judaic studies