Washington State University: Use of Dispositions Theory to Enforce Ideological Orthodoxy
Washington State University (WSU) repealed partisan evaluative criteria used to punish a student whose views on diversity and gun control differed with those of other professors at WSU. Student Ed Swan had received poor evaluative teaching marks on his "dispositions" criteria, which had "required students to have a commitment to vague ideological concepts such as "appreciat[ing] and valu[ing] human diversity," sensitivity to "community and cultural norms," and respecting "others' varied talents and perspectives." Swan was penalized for admitting that he opposes gun control and does not believe that white privilege and male privilege exist, and was forced to sign a contract submitting him to more ideological litmus tests. FIRE intervened on behalf of Swan so he could have a clear a path to graduation, first convincing WSU to not use "dispositions" in an unconstitutional manner; WSU eventually revamped the dispositions evaluation forms that contained the unconstitutional requirements.
Case Materials
"Washington State Rejects Political Litmus Test for Education Students," FIRE Press Release, February 28, 2006: Six months ago, Ed Swan feared that his teaching career would end before it started, merely because his ideology differed from that of his professors at Washington State University. Today, thanks to a campaign of public exposure by FIRE, WSU has completely repealed the criteria it used to punish Swan. This is a tremendous victory not just for Ed Swan, but for the freedom of thought and conscience of every WSU education student.
"Washington State University Continues Campaign of Repression," FIRE Press Release, October 12, 2005: In recent months, FIRE has intervened twice at Washington State University to protect students’ freedom of expression. After publicly proclaiming respect for their students’ rights, Washington State administrators have now made clear that, between their grading students on their politics and their paying for hecklers to disrupt student plays, liberty is still in dire straits in Pullman.
"Education Programs May Have a ‘Disposition’ for Censorship," FIRE Press Release, September 21, 2005: FIRE is fighting an emerging trend in campus censorship. This summer, Washington State University used “dispositions” theory to punish an education student for his political and religious expression, relenting only after FIRE became involved. And just last month, FIRE had to intervene when Brooklyn College professor K. C. Johnson was threatened with a secret investigation for questioning the use of the theory.
"University presidents battle for honors in spinelessness," John Leo, Universal Press Syndicate, May 1, 2006: Judges agreed they had never seen two candidates as eminently qualified as Rawlins and Holtschneider. Calling the pair “the Ruth and Gehrig of modern Sheldonism,” the judges awarded the golden no-spine statuette to both. Congratulations, Sheldon laureates 2006.
"Undergraduate education majors to be evaluated by new form," Associated Press, February 22, 2006: An evaluation form for education majors that sparked a controversy over political correctness will be replaced at Washington State University, school officials said.
"WSU ends ‘hecklers veto’ aid but threatens conservative student’s graduation," Mark Tapscott, Townhall.com, December 17, 2005: David French, FIRE’s president, explains why there was no question about the importance of stopping Washington State University. The school’s “defense of this vigilante censorship will encourage students to unlawfully silence others whenever they feel offended,” he said.
"'We Don't Need That Kind of Attitude'," Robin Wilson, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 16, 2005: "It is not the job of a state university," says David A. French, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, "to implement an orthodox ideology." Professors, he says, have no business assessing students' dispositions "after a classroom session where they are encouraging students to voice their opinions, and then extrapolating from those that these people cannot teach."
"FIRE to the rescue," The New Criterion, December 1, 2005: The good news is that Swan had the wit to contact the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, the Philadelphia-based civil liberties group that, as Leo put it, “does what the American Civil Liberties Union should be doing but usually won’t,” i.e., help individuals who are discriminated against because they express opinions that are at odds with the illiberal liberalism that is orthodoxy in today’s educational system.
"WSU challenge underscores true meaning of diversity," Yakima Herald-Republic (Wash.), November 29, 2005: Diversity means just that — a wide-ranging approach that must embrace the entire spectrum of views and issues.
"Unpopular political opinions part of diversity too," Tom Henderson, Lewiston Morning Tribune (Idaho), November 20, 2005: Swan almost got booted out of the education program. Then the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education out of Philadelphia stepped in to remind Washington State that diversity comes in many forms. One of the most important is intellectual diversity.
"Politically Correct?," The Columbian (Vancouver, Wash.), November 18, 2005: He was ordered to take a diversity training program and also was asked to sign a pledge to respect community norms and appreciate diversity. FIRE entered the fray on Swan's behalf, arguing the pledge was unconstitutional.
"WSU student claims discrimination because of conservative views," Nicholas K. Geranios, Associated Press, November 12, 2005: Swan was also told to sign an agreement to respect community norms and appreciate diversity. He refused and the university withdrew it after receiving complaints from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which argued that it was an unconstitutional intrusion on Swan's freedom.
"Scholars Group: Accrediting Agency Violating First Amendment," Jacob Gershman, The New York Sun, November 4, 2005: The National Association of Scholars, a group that advocates for traditional academic standards in higher education, is accusing the nation's largest accrediting agency of teacher education programs of imposing standards that violate the First Amendment.
"Class(room) Warriors," John Leo, U.S. News & World Report, October 24, 2005: It is called dispositions theory, and it was set forth five years ago by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education: Future teachers should be judged by their “knowledge, skills, and dispositions.” What are “dispositions”? NCATE’s prose made clear that they are the beliefs and attitudes that guide a teacher toward a moral stance. That sounds harmless enough, but it opened a door to reject teaching candidates on the basis of thoughts and beliefs.
"WSU takes hit on free speech," Shawn Vestal, The Spokesman-Review, October 22, 2005: A national higher education watchdog group says Washington State University is failing to protect the speech rights of students who have controversial or unpopular opinions.
"WSU's Politburo enforces dogma," Michael Costello, Lewiston Morning Tribune (Idaho), October 22, 2005: But all Ed Swan's beliefs contradict the catechisms, and until the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education intervened, he faced excommunication. Who says faith is forbidden on campus? You just have to worship the official religion.
"WSU Education Department studying 'litmus test'," E. Kirsten Peters, Associated Press, October 20, 2005: Washington State University is reviewing its policies on evaluating the character of students in the teacher training program after a student alleged the College of Education was biased against conservatives.
"WSU responds to evaluation criticisms," E. Kirsten Peters, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, October 19, 2005: The College of Education at Washington State University is considering how it may change its policies regarding the evaluation of “good character” for students in the teacher-training program.
"National columnist attacks WSU," E. Kirsten Peters, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, October 19, 2005: The test for “good character” in the College of Education at Washington State University has drawn national attention in a piece published this week in U.S News and World Report.
"Ideology creeps into academic evaluation," Charles Parsons, The Badger Herald (UW-Madison), October 5, 2005: Yet, with many more universities using and considering similar disposition evaluations, students, FIRE and faculty members will have to keep a vigilant watch, lest diversity turn around and become synonymous with repression.
"Character evaluations are absurd, offensive," Steve McClure, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, October 4, 2005: A person’s character is not measured by whether or not they espouse opinions on political or social issues that you agree with. WSU’s College of Education needs to come to grips with that in a hurry, as the university works through the protests of Edward R. Swan.
"Battle over students rights comes to head," E. Kirsten Peters, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, October 1, 2005: A national civil liberties group is defending a Washington State University undergraduate because the College of Education threatened to terminate him from the education program this fall after he expressed conservative religious and political views in class last school year.
