Classical mythology too "triggering" for college

Please do enlighten us by saying how do you think the professor should change his teaching material to adapt to this circumstance, keeping in mind that the professor was focusing on the beauty of the style and structure of the opera.

Gosh, next thing you know chemistry and thermodynamics professors will have to "be sensitive" while teaching how hydrocarbons react with oxygen because explaining combustion might trigger people who lost a relative to a fire.

@GreySeal9: That's what I'm getting at. There is no difference. Neither followed the laws, and rules that have been put into place for their very situations. Instead they Ignored it till it became an issue that to them was 100% a problem and then made demands of the school which are unwarranted if the man does not have a medical note to except him/her or allow him certain accommodations.

I used a soldier with ptsd and history of war as the course to point out how ridiculous this is. She chose this course, payed for it after reading what they planned to teach her knowing full well she has PTSD over being raped. Ignored all possible ways to avoid this situation that are put there for people with mental disabilities and then decided to play the Victim and make demands, and sue them. It's ridiculous we even allow people like this respect. I'm surprised so many on here think she even has ground to stand on with her argument.

That is a silly analogy and not worth serious response, so I'll just respond to your question.

Again, a professor can put a disclaimer on his remarks, make sure to acknowledge problematic aspects while acknowledging the beauty of the poem's aesthetics, make an arrangement with the student, and at all costs not be dismissive towards a student who was rape's concerns. Honestly, the professor might have been doing some of these things. We don't know his side of the story fully. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching in a sensitive fashion. You just seem to absolutely go off any time "sensitivity" is mentioned, which is immature. To function with other people in society, one must be sensitive towards other people's circumstances.

They are mental weaklings, there's no other way around it. Being unable to cope in a safe setting with the mere mention of rape in some mythical story is the definition of mental weakness and instability. These are problems for her (and her psychologist) to fix. We can sugar coat the terms if it makes anyone feel better of course, the reality is we would be saying the same thing.

There is a huge difference between calling someone a mental weakling and saying that they have issues. The former is mean-spirited, the latter is not. Also, the former purports that she is a mental weakling all around while the latter acknowledges her mental conditions as a result of the rape.

There is no reason to be mean-spirited about this, especially in regards to a rape victim.

Again, grow up and stop making excuses for mean-spirited behavior.

Classical mythology too controversial, academic orgy with professors isn't

I'll give you the sensitivity part.

What I would take issue with, however, is someone who tries and turns a core topic of course on it's head, and therefore disrupts the learning of every other student in the class.

So... I guess it depends.

Telling someone they have issues I'm pretty sure is insulting too...either way...you're flat out wrong I'm not speaking about her in a negative light because she is a rape victim, I'm speaking in a mean-spirited manner about her because her actions are ridiculous and infantile. I'm plenty grown up, which is why I live a productive, happy, grown-up life without irrational fears from make believe stories despite also having to go through terrible situations.

Saying someone has mental issues can be a factual statement whereas weakling is a judgment.

Don't backpedal. You called her a mental weakling because she was triggered by the text even tho PDST can be triggered by many things. Maybe it's not meanspiritedness so much as it's just ignorance.

Again, man up and take responsibility for your words.

That's a long way of saying "I don't know".

As sorry as I am to know that she was a rape victim, she had EVERY mean to know a topic like that could come up eventually. She should have approached the professor at the beginning of the course (if not before the course even started), not in the middle of the fucking lecture *after* she flipped.

To function with other people in society I also expect other people to use their brains to reasonably mitigate their own problems before the latter can hinder anyone else unnecessarily. Guess I just expect too much.

It's cool you've managed to overcome bad situations and do well for yourself. That does not give you license to have a nasty attitude toward sexual assault survivors.

(quote pyramid is too crazy)

"It's cool you've managed to overcome bad situations and do well for yourself. That does not give you license to have a nasty attitude toward sexual assault survivors."

It sure does, and is within my rights. I think making reasonable accommodations for people with issues is one thing, expecting the world to protect people basically from their own irrational fears is an entirely different thing.

The bolded is so insincere. If you had any sympathy towards her, you would drop the immature callous attitude.

Sure, you have the right to, but that doesn't mean you should. No reason to be nasty, especially with regard to these these kinds of situations. If this was just some person with no issues, that' d be one thing, but rape is a serious issue and it's just not good form to call somebody a mental weakling for having post traumatic reactions. That's some pretty basic shit.

You say that you're productive and happy and that's good and well, but maybe you should display a little bit more compassion and wisdom.

She's afraid of a fake story about fake gods to the point of claiming she was fearing for her safety even though there is zero reasonable threats. This is more than a person with trauma from a traumatic event. She knew what the course was, there's really no excuse.

Rape is a serious issue, so is being able to work through trauma. These people (and the people who pander to them) are literally making things worse by not only attempting to force institutions to be responsible for other people's irrational fears, but damaging to themselves (and others that subscribe to this non-sense) as the best way to overcome trauma is to face it, not to cower from it.

I have no compassion for this type of destructive behavior.

You are not qualified to make this determination.

As I said, I expect other people to reasonably mitigate their own problems before they can hinder others. I fail to feel sympathy for someone who had all the means, time AND foresight to prevent an accident that only occurs in an extremely specific context from happening but rather decided to wallow in complacency until it was too late.

Yes, very callous and immature. I guess expecting people to not bitch but rather adapt is too much to ask. Shame on me.

@Renevent42:Ya I don't think a lot of people seem to get it. She never once tried to go through any form of the proper channels to alert the school of her medical disabilities. She didn't follow any proper procedures or laws that actually would have made this a non situation, then took the path of a Victim made demands after class about the material she payed to learn and sued them when they didn't cave to her irrational fears that she didn't bother even attempting to back up with anything other then it offends me, I don't like it, you deal with it attitude.

It's not his job to pander to every one of his students irrational fears/issues, if said student isn't able to show on paper an actual diagnosis and a doctors note stating she's eligible for certain accommodations. And in which case it isn't even his job to do that it's to teach and create curriculum for learning. It would be the Faculty in the wing of their school that deals with disabilities paper work and accommodations, that would end up dealing with it to the point in Talking to the professor about said accommodations just before classes start.

Like what would ever get taught if every professor had to sit and deal with all their students quarrels and issues like it's 4th grade English and every kid needs 10 minutes of teacher time, and maybe some after school help. And then pander the curriculum to them individually because compassion and being you know a nice guy is apparently expected even when one stirring the pot is literally ignoring the systems put in place for their issue. Then come to him after class making demands while having nothing to show for proof of their issues. Collage is a business he gets payed to teach, and those without a legal binding issue that warrants accommodation shouldn't and isn't part of his job description or general concern. He is a professor,. A teacher of adults. Not a god damn baby sitter.

She failed to properly show she had a disability, demanded she be treated like she had one, and couldn't handle being, I'm assuming put in her place by that professor and got angry and sued. This woman deserves no respect. She thinks she's above everyone else and the rules put in place for everyone's benefit. People like this disgust me.

People in this thread are not understanding the entire situation. The content itself was not the trigger; the trigger was the warm regard in which her professor spoke of rape in Greek mythology.

...........This isn't fucking rocket science.. The professor talks to the student, warns them about said material and that they should leave the class at the specific time and not negatively mark their grade.. Professors give them slack all the time for shit happening in a students life including extending their finals. To suggest being a asshole or banning the use of all material as the only two options is absolutely stupid. Especially for a class like this.

This would be a strong argument if Germany had actually done so, but it has not, so I am unable to consider this seriously.

... Let me get this through your thick skull.. No one likes telling people that they have been raped or sexual assaulted, to the point some people haven't even gone to the police to report the shit.. Just like no one likes to tell others that they are suffering from depression or anxiety attacks, to the point we see people who every one thought they were happy, take their own life.. Being a asshole about it is as bad as saying we need to ban this material. Your ignorance on the matter is hilarious. A teacher of adults? Your complete lack of empathy would tell me you really don't have any place in the class either.. You guys sound as bad as the SJW you blow back on.

Any professor in this situation would have most likely apologized for putting her through that.. And would have tried to alter HER specific course work and warned her to leave the room if they were going to discuss a specific story.. This is mythology for crying out loud, this isn't some capstone course that is the foundation of her major.. Professors do this all the time with students in altering certain things often for specific students due to such things, especially a most likely 100 level course like this.. .

University professors are REQUIRED to release a syllabus of their course and the student was free to ask BEFORE THE COURSE EVEN STARTED what themes the course material would've been about. Try again, because this indeed is not fucking rocket science.

Yet if a Holocaust survivor were taking the class I am pretty sure they would tell them that it would be ok for you to leave the room if they are going to show graphic images or go into graphic detail of a certain event.

......I have taken a greek mythology course in college, they do a basic lay out of requirements and overarching stories.. They are not going to go into detail exactly what they are going to be discussing in every story each day.. When I took a literature course two of the books I read had sex scenes it it, those weren't brought up in syllabus because they are considered trivial things at best to most people.. If you seriously think the Syllabus is going to cover every single thing like this, including what most of you here see as trivial, I think it's safe to say that the syllabus didn't cover it nor is it really needed to.. Because post traumatic stress disorder can be a multitude of things, and the solution here is not being absolute dicks about it.. Any sane professor would have just altered the course specifically for HER (not the entire class) in doing a different story, while having her leave the room for said story to begin with... There.. Nothing changes, we are all happy. You guys make it out like this shit never happens, it happens all the time for a multitude of reasons.. Whether its a illness, or a family death (far more common occurrences) in which the professor specifically alters that specific students course requirements and assignments.. This happens all the time, ESPECIALLY for a 100 level courses..

Notice here guys? This solution doesn't ban material that should be taught in class.. Nor does it turn into the dumbass psychopathic statement "get tough or shut up!" shit to some one possibly suffering from PSTD..

It is reasonable to expect that a Holocaust survivor would be considered with respect and dignity, but another kind of survivor, one who has been raped, has not been treated similarly. The professor in question dismissed the trepidation of that student. There is a lack of consistency in caring that is clear.

Yeah exactly especially when the solution here is quite simple.. Now we don't know the entire story, but I find the "get tough!" statements as bad as the SJW statements about banning everything.. Quite frankly I feel many people here are pieces of shit in real life if they are showing such lack of empathy with many of these statements.. Banning all material from ever being taught is illogical and offensive as stating "get tough" rhetoric I have been seeing here.. It is sickening..

@GreySeal9:

Or people that are too sensitive for the course materials should probably NOT take the course. Simple and logical solution.

@sSubZerOo: I am not going to attack the character of anyone, but the comments in this thread are disturbing.

Either extreme is unreasonable, in my view as well. I do not know that student or professor, but based on the report in this thread, the issue was that the elation in which the professor was expressing a mythology which was, in the past, viewed as an acceptable understanding of man and the world. With many places in the world still treating females as second-class citizens, including the United States with social issues such as mandatory dress and economic issues such as unequal pay, I can understand that there can be a perception of a rape culture which causes a steady buildup of stress and said stress can cause a breakdown from something like a professor taking joy in a story in which a female is powerless against a man after being literally raped. I am not saying that is what transpires in every case or in that one, but rather that it is understandable that women can feel antagonized by the status quo of their society.

Which I find odd seeing as most professors are extremely understanding of this kind of shit with young adult suicide (especially for college students) being so high.. This thread really illustrates how American views mental health issues very lowly.. I mean this is 100 level course, this isn't a capstone, this isn't a specific course that hinges on a major as a requirement.. And the solution here is extremely easy and is constantly done all the time in college.. Now of course you can't take back what has happened, what is done is done, but nothing would stop the professor in talking with the student in working out how she can finish the class.... There done. Nothing changes for any one, and every one, including the girl meets the requirements to pass the class if she does the work satisfactory..

You've got it backwards. It's her who decided to be a dick about it in the first place, which is why people like me aren't being sympathetic.

I understand that a syllabus doesn't cover *everything in detail*, but I refuse to believe there was no way for her to know that a topic like that could've been lecture material, just like you'd expect a celiac to worry about gluten-free dishes in a pizza restaurant.

I don't know about arts, but in my field if a course has a certain structure/objectives you can't just pull things out of it. Go ahead and try to pull wave-particle duality out of an introduction to quantum mechanics course and see how well you can do the rest of it. I would agree that would've been a solution, I'm just arguing its feasibility, since in the articles posted only the girl's PoV is given voice.

*What* is clear? Only the student's opinion of what happened has been reported.

................ Oh I see so describing a rape scene is now a cornerstone of literature and mythology that we should all expect when we crack open a book? Are you even listening to your self here? How in the HELL does that even compare to your comparison.. It doesn't.

I'm not going to keep answering if all you can reply with is pulling out words I never said.

It is puzzling. She might have been able to speak with the dean of that department, but in the Information Age, people can easily publicize perceived wrongdoing and there is not anything wrong with that. In fact, it is good. The "Black Lives Matter" movement is causing police reform in the United States and Israel is seeing protests with Ethiopian Jews as a result of that. Both of these need a global system of communication. I can understand seeking publicity for perceived wrongs if any particular staff is not seeking justice as they should, in my view.

"I don't know about arts, but in my field if a course has a certain structure/objectives you can't just pull things out of it. Go ahead and try to pull wave-particle duality out of an introduction to quantum mechanics course and see how well you can do the rest of it."

Yes you did... You likened it to technical course in which you said would not work if you pulled a fundamental course material out of it.. How can any one here interpret it to any other way than the way I said it.. Lets use your flawless logic here.. Hey guys if we pull out a story about rape in a literature or mythology course, good luck trying to finish the course!.. That was a extremely foolish comparison on your part..

I said that to argue that the professor couldn't simply remake the course program for her. I CLEARLY stated that paragraph was an argument for the feasibility of what you proposed. Learn to read.

Besides, she could've mailed the professor and ask "Is there any of the material we're going to read that contains rape?". Poof, problem solved.

Don't talk of flawless logic when you know jack shit how to use it.

When one is disregarded, there are clear indicators to show it is transpiring as it does, though not recorded in every case. It is granted that there may be no recorded evidence (audio, video, or written). Now, you are calling into doubt the motive of the student this is about in suing which is a reasonable approach to this situation (doubting). Thankfully, the Western system of jurisprudence grants the status of innocence before proven guilty.

I wonder if there shall be a recording of the courtroom proceedings. If there are, I would like to watch to get more information.

About this thread, a lack of compassion is clear.

That being said sir, I apologize for this getting heated.. And do not wish to hold any ill will towards you.. So agree to disagree here..

@BranKetra: I don't think it's ever been a mystery that mythology is rough. Don't take classes that offend you. It's that simple.

@sSubZerOo: Did you even read the article? It is clearly stated that the professor was reading that piece for its literary beauty, not specifically because it touched the theme of rape. You can't just swap a book with another just because they are from a similar timeframe.

And though anecdotal, in 4 years of college it never occurred to me that a professor changed course for anyone, and that includes my friends' professors for a total of about a hundred-twenty.

I made that comparison because it was an example I had readily in mind and thought it was still easy enough to understand. I have no idea how arts courses work nor any idea of the relevance of different authors throughout history, but I imagine that while being less rigid than engineering ones they do share the fact that they have a coherent structure that gets upset if the sequence in which things are done is altered.

Yes, I understand that not everybody feels comfortable with going out of their way to share their skeletons in the closet. Still, my culinary allergy analogy stands, and still, she could've gone to plenty of other places instead of going so dangerously close to putting the professor in the pillory.

Reasonable? Plenty of people have had traumatic experiences in their lives and don't make a mountain out of a molehill every time something related to it happens. If I were as sensitive as this girl I would have to cry everytime I see a person flash their teeth in a smile (spoiler: it doesn't happen, it never did happen). There is a line between "yes, everyone reacts differently, you can't expect everyone to cope as well as you did" and just accepting everything somebody does because they had a trauma, and by going public with her story the girl showed she refused to seek psychiatric help and rather preferred to keep her problems in check by running to a generic "someone" who had more weight than her to throw around (in this case, the MAAB and the press) so that those problems could be hidden away. I have 0 sympathy for this behavior. The only reason I look at this story with contempt rather than anger is because she decided to be at least decent enough not to release the name of the professor.

I did not say anything to the contrary in this thread.

Don't take classes that offend you. It's that simple.

I wonder if it really is that simple. If that is the case, maybe we should all not study subjects which may offend our values. However, I believe that is a self-defeating worldview. I say that because, in a world with distinctly unique individuals, it is necessary to face differences at some point in our lives in order to grow mentally. Neuroscience has shown that children who are surprised have greater neurological growth than those who do not. To shelter ourselves in that sense would really be imprisoning ourselves, so I am of an alternative opinion.

I think you're mixing up this thread with the one of the girl in the nursing school. There is no legal battle going on here.

@N30F3N1X:

You are correct about there being no legal battle in this situation.

I stand by my comment about a lack of compassion.

I'm with you on this. It's pretty clear from many of the comments that a lot of people didn't even read the article and are just having an "anti-SJW" reaction to the title.

-Byshop

You guys are really going all out, aren't you? =P

I think the situation could have been taken care of easily. All the teacher had to say was "Ok, so you have a problem with stories about rape, fair enough; you won't want to be around for lesson 9, 12 and 26. That being said I expect you to choose 3 other stories and deliver some work about them with the specifications I'm mailing you later". No extra work for the teacher (unless he's not familiar with the source material, then it's on him) and it would also not encourage more students to "get triggered" in order to do less work and it not affecting their grade.

Her having PTSD because of rape Doesn't change the fact she ignored all proper routes put in place for her, then made demands she was in no position to make with no doctors note or conducive medical history. So I don't get how it's just everyone Else's responsibility then since she wasn't at any time willing to deal with it within the systems the school and governments put in place for people in need of such things? How does her ignoring the issue completely, even though the course would have 100% been lade out before classes started, then going to a professor asking for a change/exemption from work everyone in the class has to do, due to her so called perceived Mental disability/illness that she offers zero proof actually exists to the school, exalt her form the responsibilities to offer such proof in a manor conducive to the schools systems and rules and government laws?

If that's the case lets give everyone extra time, whole sections they can skip,etc...When dealing with students needing extensions/time off due to family, medical or work issues they don't just go handing them out on the word of the student. Proof 98% of the time is needed. If you honestly think all the collages and universities do this regularly for everyone your dead fucking wrong. It's an exception used when actual proof of the reason you need such things is actually available or trust between student and staff is high enough to allow for it. Something she didn't have or even attempt to get before making her so called demands, while expecting special treatment.

Her being raped in the past and not ignoring her PTSD to the point of it not existing on paper for proof isn't a get out of your responsibilities and get special treatment card, when everyone else has to do the same paper work and what not no matter what their disabilities or special needs. Like I said she's not a fucking child, she's an adult and she chose to not claim her disability and get accommodations from the school. And it was her decision to then once she was offended bring it up with zero proof to the prof or school of this disability, while asking for special treatment and removal of material which led to him I'm assuming being no it's the course you don't have a disability and haven't shown me one with lawful papers that would warrant he material removal.

By the way if you'd read my previous posts in this thread You'd have realized I'm not new to dealing with crippling depression, and anxiety so bad I avoided everyone and everything. So It's not like I don't understand that feeling of complete and total non control of your emotions and the closing in of your perceptions to almost nothing, or anxiety so bad you can't even leave the house or walk down a street with someone on the same side walk let alone look someone in the eye.. But I'm not going to go and say I wasn't responsible for the decisions I made at that time, or that my mental illness and not wanting to deal with it like she's done wasn't a 100% a conscious decision by me because it was just like it is for her. Your responsible for yourself at all times in all decisions that includes killing yourself for those that actually do it instead of dealing and or pushing past those issues. She made her decision and decided to try to get preferential treatment with nothing but because I say I have this attitude thinking she'd just pull the victim card and she'd skip right past all the stuff everyone else has to go through to have such things.

It doesn't matter who you are if you want to file for a disability in collage/university. Get in line and fill out the paper work like everyone else. If not don't go expecting anyone to go feeling sorry for you. I have no sympathies for people who think ignoring the systems in place and complaining at the last possible second about issues you now have because you didn't bother being an adult who actually read up on what they payed to learn or take responsibility for your mental state and overall health and it's treatment. Especially when one goes making demands of others and the school, after completely ignoring everything that would have told you/allowed them not have to deal with such material. Then to go and sue.. Yep No empathy or sympathy for her at all. I know her kind. Not too smart, entitled, and thinks everything should drop and revolve around her and her issues like hers are more important then other peoples.

@ribstaylor1: You have said multiple times that the student who felt unsafe has provided no evidence to the school about any mental illness which she faces.

This is puzzling because in the article provided in the opening post there is no mention of a lack of communication by the student to the school. The only report of lacking communication is the dismissing attitude of the professor teaching Metamorphoses.

Also, you say she has post-traumatic stress disorder, matter of factly.

Do you have a source for this information? Does anyone?