trigger warnings… yet again (american university student gov. edition)

[Perditus]

certain parts of a course can be triggering for some people

This is called "life". Part of life is learning to deal with adversity.

If these students can't deal with small issues how the hell are they going to deal with the big ones?

 

[columbus]

Oh my mistake! I didn't provide you with a trigger warning that I was departing from strict anal adherence to the OP in order to broaden the discussion. Sorry for the trauma!

Would you like to discuss the OP, or would that be too traumatic?
Fair warning: I'm not giving you any trigger warnings. If you would rather avoid uncomfortable opinions, retreat now.
Tom

 

[Quintessence]

This is called "life". Part of life is learning to deal with adversity.

If these students can't deal with small issues how the hell are they going to deal with the big ones?

Do you believe education should be equal opportunity?

Yes or no.

 

[Debater Slayer]

This is called "life". Part of life is learning to deal with adversity.

If these students can't deal with small issues how the hell are they going to deal with the big ones?

"Small issues"?

And again, what you're saying seems to me to basically be an exercise in dictating to others what they should or shouldn't put up with concerning their own health issues. I find that pretty inconsistent given that you're railing so much against "imposing" things on others.

 

[Acim]

Sure did. I even read the rest of the article that defanged the alarmist rhetoric to discuss what is actually happening with these policies and how things are actually working in higher education settings. And in that, I don't get what the problem is. Speaking as someone who works in higher education on student services issues, I feel pretty confident saying that a student proposal to include "mandatory trigger warnings" doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell at being implemented. Schools already require instructors accommodate documented disabilities, and curricular substitutions are made on a case-by-case basis as they always have been. There's simply no need to mandate such a thing, as the support structures are already in place (at least they are at my institution). A voluntary "trigger warning" statement would simply make it more clear to some students that a particular course is edgy - something that really doesn't apply to the vast majority of courses a student will take in their program anyway. So yeah... not seeing what the fuss is about.

Given this statement, I think it is less of an issue than what my posts are getting at. As long as 'requiring' trigger warnings is not even close to being on the table, nor is there currently a whole lot that is being sought to include in those warnings, it seems like minor issue currently. I hope it stays that way.

If one googles "trigger warnings," I find you'll probably come across some rather absurb stuff.
This would be one that I found a google search: Archaeology students have trigger warnings for when they’re scared of bones. And the (good) news from this article: "As of yet, no students has complained that they find the material suitably disturbing enough to leave the class."

 

[Perditus]

Do you believe education should be equal opportunity?

Yes or no.

What in the world does this have to do with hypersensitivity to adverse events?

 

[Perditus]

This would be one that I found a google search: Archaeology students have trigger warnings for when they’re scared of bones. And the (good) news from this article: "As of yet, no students has complained that they find the material suitably disturbing enough to leave the class."

Incredible, especially considering they're walking around with their own set of bones.

Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[columbus]

Do you believe education should be equal opportunity?

Yes or no.

No!
People who refuse to believe that the earth is more than ~6000 years old have no place in a university teaching biological science.
Tom

 

[Sunstone]

Would you like to discuss the OP, or would that be too traumatic?
Fair warning: I'm not giving you any trigger warnings. If you would rather avoid uncomfortable opinions, retreat now.
Tom

You should give a "unnecessary drama" warning, Tom. I addressed the "mandatory requirement" aspect of the OP in my very first post in this thread and summarily dismissed it as something I do not support. I see no reason to repeat myself again and again.

 

[Acim]

Incredible, especially considering they're walking around with their own set of bones.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Be thankful that professional psychiatrists helped determine that this could be a trigger warning and informed staff. Now we live in a world where archaeology students who may be scared of bones are at least warned about that content so they can learn about the topic of their major in a ..... heck, I'm not even sure how to continue that statement of mockery.

 

[icehorse]

Do you believe education should be equal opportunity?

Yes or no.

I don't think education should be watered down to the lowest common denominator.

 

[Acim]

This just feels wrong to me - very Vonnegut, Harrison Bergeron.

The summary is that a student organization is demanding that all course descriptions include “trigger warnings” so that students who have “suffered trauma” can still participate in academia. The question that leaps to mind for me is how such a warning would affect the actual teaching of the class. Sounds like some censoring would have to be involved. ugh!

I’m not the first to say that students thus shielded will be ill-prepared for the real world.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news...-launches-campaign-mandatory-trigger-warnings

I’ve yet to hear a pro-TW argument that compels me…

Just so everyone in this thread is on the same page, here are quotes from the article in OP that argue/assert need for mandatory trigger warnings:

“There’s a difference between our students and our faculty about the necessity of trigger warnings on syllabi and the importance of centering student trauma in academic spaces,” Devontae Torriente, president of American’s student government, says in new YouTube video introducing the group’s #LetUsLearn campaign in favor of such warnings. “The fact of the matter is, trigger warnings are necessary in order to make our academic spaces accessible to all students, especially those who have experienced trauma.”

Torriente adds, “In doing so, we uphold [American’s] commitment to academic freedom and allow all students to participate in the exchange of ideas and discussion.”

proponents -- including survivor advocates and many students -- say they increase participation and therefore contribute to academic freedom

In a recent op-ed in American’s student newspaper, Grace Arnpriester, executive director of health and wellness for the undergraduate student government, wrote that professors and even other students opposed to mandatory trigger warnings misunderstand the concept. In particular, Arnpriester takes issue with the faculty resolution’s notion that students might use trigger warnings to “opt out” of engaging critical issues. Rather than some kind of intellectual laziness or vague “discomfort,” Arnpriester wrote, survivors of trauma deal with “hypervigilance” that can lead to panic, anxiety, flashbacks or more -- all of which can be triggered by sensitive content.

Arnpriester refers readers to the student government’s guide to trigger warnings. It defines a warning as a “heads-up” to sensitive content, which could include combat violence, self-harm or sexual or relationship violence. It suggests various ways of offering trigger warnings, including passing out note cards on the first day of the semester on which students may disclose triggers. Others ideas are verbal or syllabus warnings.

*All bold emphasis mine. I bolded that which relates to why it ought to be mandatory.... however, I honestly see either (very) little or no rationale for why they ought to be mandatory, and do see rationale for why they ought to be considered.

 

[icehorse]

I honestly see either (very) little or no rationale for why they ought to be mandatory, and do see rationale for why they ought to be considered.

I'm still struggling to see what action a trigger-warned student would take?

It doesn't sound like they want to opt out of the entire course, correct?
Do they want to be assessed on only a portion of the course's content? (that sounds bad.)
Do they want to be able to impact the course's content (that sounds even worse.)

What do these students suggest will change for them if issued such warnings?

 

[McBell]

This just feels wrong to me - very Vonnegut, Harrison Bergeron.

The summary is that a student organization is demanding that all course descriptions include “trigger warnings” so that students who have “suffered trauma” can still participate in academia. The question that leaps to mind for me is how such a warning would affect the actual teaching of the class. Sounds like some censoring would have to be involved. ugh!

I’m not the first to say that students thus shielded will be ill-prepared for the real world.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news...-launches-campaign-mandatory-trigger-warnings

I’ve yet to hear a pro-TW argument that compels me…

On what grounds are the students using to demand trigger warnings?

My thought, fine, put warnings in syllabus
Then it is up to each student to decide if they want to chance the class.

Don't get me wrong.
The warning is all they get.
Meaning they do not get to change the class and if they miss something because of their trigger, then it is on them to get the information else wise so as not to fail the class..

 

[Sapiens]

I think there should be a large type, bolded warning on the cover of the Course Catalog that states something to the effect:

Safety means "without risk." Education is not safe and requires developing courage. Courage is among the characteristics that this school is dedicated to helping you learn.

Courage is a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure it. - William Tecumseh Sherman

 

[columbus]

My thought, fine, put warnings in syllabus
Then it is up to each student to decide if they want to chance the class.

I think the University of Chicago handled this issue rather well.
They sent out a letter letting newcomers know that the standards there were more important than student's wishes to be protected from reality.
Students were then free to GTFO.
Tom

 

[Debater Slayer]

I think the University of Chicago handled this issue rather well.
They sent out a letter letting newcomers know that the standards there were more important than student's wishes to be protected from reality.
Students were then free to GTFO.
Tom

"Student's wishes to be protected from reality."

Is that how you really view trigger warnings for PTSD and similar mental health issues?

 

[icehorse]

"Student's wishes to be protected from reality."

Is that how you really view trigger warnings for PTSD and similar mental health issues?

It strikes me that we have a lot of precedence for providing custom institutions for those who can't handle our normal institutions. For example, we don't stop teaching calculus because some people have cognitive difficulties, we provide special classes for those with cognitive difficulties.

In the OP's linked article, it seems clear that the professors' organizations are concerned that the TW crowd aren't asking only for warnings. They are wanting to alter course content. I have every sympathy for folks with PTSD, and we should provide for them. But not at the expense of watering down generally available courses.

 

[Debater Slayer]

It strikes me that we have a lot of precedence for providing custom institutions for those who can't handle our normal institutions. For example, we don't stop teaching calculus because some people have cognitive difficulties, we provide special classes for those with cognitive difficulties.

In the OP's linked article, it seems clear that the professors' organizations are concerned that the TW crowd aren't asking only for warnings. They are wanting to alter course content. I have every sympathy for folks with PTSD, and we should provide for them. But not at the expense of watering down generally available courses.

Again, I think there's a difference between asking for trigger warnings and outright removing necessary parts of syllabi. I think students should be given a heads up to determine for themselves whether they want to continue with certain courses/classes or not.

 

[columbus]

"Student's wishes to be protected from reality."

Is that how you really view trigger warnings for PTSD and similar mental health issues?

Yes it is.
The world is not an easy place.

Feeling the need for a trigger warning should send you to get help for yourself, not expect your teacher to make reality more comfortable for you.
Tom