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My name is Stephen Miller and I am a freshman at Duke University. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate why every one of us ought to be concerned about the academic situation at Duke, and to ask for your help in putting Duke at the forefront of a revolution sweeping across America's campuses.

As many of you know, conservatives across the nation have been decrying the political bias that is contaminating the educational system. Unfortunately, Duke has also fallen prey to political bias, and conservatives here have tried hard to open the eyes of a seemingly blind administration. In response, some liberals, rather then denying the existence of left-wing bias, have claimed that what conservatives really want is to transform liberal bias in academia into conservative bias. Indeed, this was said of me in a recent editorial in the Duke Chronicle.

The accusation is utterly absurd. My experience in high school made me understand all too well how severely education is damaged by partisan intolerance, and I would never ask for the introduction of conservative bias. Be it from the left or the right, bias in antithetical to education, and I believe I speak for nearly all conservatives when I say we only ask that all viewpoints be respected in the classroom.

It is true that left-wing bias most often comes under fire but this is simply because most of the bias in colleges is left-wing in nature. This is only to be expected when you consider the fact that, as a survey of the major colleges has shown (Duke included), the overwhelming majority of professors are Democrats, making right-wing bias highly unlikely. This does not mean that there should a 50/50 split of Republican and Democratic professors. All that matters is that all professors respect all beliefs. When a professor ignores, slights, or demeans opposing views liberal or conservative it is an abomination. Consider the following case:

In the first few weeks of school, Senior Matt Bettis had to drop a history course because on the opening day his professor unleashed a barrage of partisan intolerance, including an admission of bias against republicans. Matt wrote the professor, and was told in response that it was not a facts course. Another student informed me that the professor suggested Republicans should drop his class.

Disgraces like this explain why, as many conservatives will tell you, when deciding their schedules they will avoid certain courses, or even entire departments, because of their harsh left-wing reputation. This situation should appall all students as a violation of the most fundamental tenets of education.

An article in the Duke Chronicle called attention to the fact that many conservatives claimed they had been downgraded for presenting conservative points of view in their work, but to my surprise, this claim was simply dismissed without any valid explanation. It is time that we stop ignoring such abuses. If students feel their work is being slighted because of their political leanings, then this is a problem that must be investigated and dealt with accordingly. No student should ever have to fear that open expression of his beliefs may result in an academic reprisal.

Earlier in the year I was able to have a conversation with the Dean of Students, Robert Thompson. During my conversation with the Dean I expressed my concern that in only a short time at Duke I had already starting hearing accounts of bias in the classroom be it professors bashing George Bush, demeaning Republicans, or simply teaching the class from a one-sided perspective. Rather then trying to contest my claims, then Dean admitted to me that he has heard numerous accounts of political bias.

This begged the question: what is being done about this situation?

In that Duke?s chief duty is to educate, and that essential to education is respect for all viewpoints, you would think the present situation would be of tremendous concern to the administration. If Dean Thompson is aware that there is political bias in Duke?s classrooms, I see no reason why cannot ask that he take action. Incidences like that one that occurred with Matt Bettis should disgust anyone who values education. Professors take on the immense responsibility of shaping the way students think about the world. When they shirk this responsibility they are doing a disservice to their students and to their profession.

Thought its extent can be debated, no one can deny the presence of political bias at Duke. We have before us the chance to show that the status quo can be changed, that a major university can aggressively fight bias our goal should be to make Duke one of the first major colleges in America that is truly free of an ideological slant, dedicated to the unbiased pursuit of knowledge, and unwavering in its devotion to academic freedom. However, this will not be easy and it will require the support of many. The key lies in the adoption of a Students Bill of Rights.

David Horowitz has started a new national organization, Students for Academic Freedom, which is dedicated to fighting political bias, specifically through the implementation of this Bill of Rights. I have started up an SAF chapter here at Duke. There are almost 100 more chapters in colleges across the country. It is a wholly non-partisan organization committed to restoring integrity to the American college campus. In line with that guiding philosophy, the Bill of Rights SAF encourages universities to adopt does not favor any one ideology, but requires that all ideologies be respected in the classroom. The only way that one could oppose this Bill of Rights would be if one were actually in favor of a political bias, because even if you doubted the existence of political bias, what harm would there be in guarding against it? (The Bill of Rights can be viewed at www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org)

In that the administration's first and primary responsibility is to protect the integrity of the learning process, I have faith that in the end, this is what they will do. Knowing that the Dean of Students is already aware of the problem, I am hoping that he will thus understand the need to take action, and that a long and difficult battle will not ensue. I am also hoping that before she retires this year, President Keohane will want to ensure every student here at Duke receives a fair, balanced education. I have a meeting with with both the Dean and the President later this month in which I will ask them to support the Students Bill of Rights. However, in my prior conversation with the Dean I was told that the Bill of Rights was not needed. Other administrators have expressed the same point of view. And this mindset is certainly not unique to Duke.

Thus, for this to move forward, college administrators will need to understand that American citizens have had enough, that it is time for higher education in America to change that it is finally time for our nation's youth to learn in an environment where their beliefs are respected and their academic rights are secure. In order to help set this academic revolution in motion, I humbly ask for your help. You can call or write Dean Thompson (919-684-3465 robert.thompson@duke.edu 919-684-3465) or President Keohane (president@duke.edu 919-684-2424) and voice your support for the adoption of a Students Bill of Rights.

The battle for academic freedom will be a difficult one. But working together, we can return dignity and decency to the American college campus. We can set an example to colleges all across the nation by making Duke one of the first major universities to officially, publicly, and universally reject political bias.

An academic revolution has begun will Duke lead the charge?

I await the administration's response.

All above text and written information property of Stephen Miller.
©2003 All Rights Reserved.

"Stephen Miller, is a sophormore at Duke University, where he plans to major in Political Science. Stephen has also been on several talk radio programs primarily as an advocate for freedom in education. He is the President of the Duke Chapter of Students for Academic Freedom. www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org Mr. Miller also writes articles, give speeches, and does whatever else he can to adavance this and other causes. It is his intention to continue his efforts in college and to someday go into politics."

E-mail Steve Miller:
stevemiller@radioactivenews.com

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