No to intolerance 2

In the course of a career, most teachers will come across students with whom they vehemently disagree. Specialising in ethnicity and nationalism, I have dealt with students here, in South Africa, and in the former Soviet Union who hold views strongly contrary to my own.

With such students, the challenge was to establish a forum for informed and open discussion. Students and lecturers learn little from discussing sensitive issues only among those with whom there is consensus.

As long as a student abides by the acceptable standards of conduct within the classroom and university at large, there is no justifiable basis for exclusion.

Kate Flynn
Monash South Africa